


Random Pezberry Thoughts of the Day

by purrpickle



Category: Glee
Genre: All Pezberry, F/F, and some drabbles, collection of headcanons, thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-20
Updated: 2018-09-30
Packaged: 2018-10-21 07:34:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 58,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10680672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/purrpickle/pseuds/purrpickle
Summary: Exactly as it sounds. These are thoughts, headcanons, almost complete fic/drabble inspirations, and the like. Some are more substantial than others (and yes, there are fics in here). All are proudly Pezberry. If anyone would like to use any of these as prompts, go right ahead. Just credit me and let me know so I can read what you come up with.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This collection is a simple copy-and-paste of my tumblr series Random Pezberry Thought of the Day. This is exactly what that title suggests: each day I come up with a random Pezberry thought and post it. It's an exercise both in keeping my brain busy with Pezberry thoughts, as well as providing for those who still wish to see new Pezberry content. I'm cross-posting here for the same reasons, as well as, hey, if anyone's inspired, yay! I'm glad. :D You can use any of this as you wish - just let me know about the finished project! Please!
> 
> As it is, I've chosen to post in batches of ten just to keep it a bit organized, and some thoughts reference fics I've previously posted (some are on here, AO3, and some are still only on FFNet, sorry - but they are under my same pen name: purrpickle). However, those are marked as such, if you get curious. Also, if there are tumblr tags that are part and parcel of the Thoughts, they are transcribed as well.
> 
> One last disclaimer: the Thought in Random Pezberry Thought of the Day most often, as it says in the description of this series, equals headcanon, equals almost complete fic/drabble inspiration, equals if i had energy to flesh it out more. So, that being said, enjoy!

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #1:

In a world Pezberry gets together in high school:

Santana has such a complicated relationship with sex after her early high school years and breaking up with Brittany that some days all she wants is to get Rachel off without allowing her to reciprocate, and other days she only wants Rachel to get her off before shoving her off of her. It's very rare, early on in their relationship, that they do anything together.

Rachel, who, for her own part, is initially unsure she is actually ready for sex for herself in the beginning, doesn't originally think too much of it; she experiences so much just touching Santana that it's  _more_  than enough - though being pushed away doesn't feel too good. However, when she  _does_ feel ready for sex (after having been falling even harder and harder for Santana), it takes her a while to figure out what's behind Santana's callous, affected front.

* * *

#2:

Rachel thought a  _lot_  about proposing a one night stand or heavy,  _thorough_ experimentation with Santana when they lived in the loft together. Even during their "fallout", she was guilty of her mind flashing to, at least once, the possibility of experimenting a steamy, torrid,  _punishing_  bout of hate sex with Santana instead.

* * *

#3:

Santana would never ever  _ever_ admit it, but she was always the one who covered Rachel with a blanket when she'd come home from a late shift or the club and find the girl passed out on the couch in the middle of a pile of scripts and homework.

* * *

#4:

In a world Pezberry used to be childhood friends:

The summer before high school started, after months of tension and unspoken words, Santana and Rachel kissed behind Rachel's house. After Rachel whispered a small, trembling, "I love you," Santana panicked, pushing her away. "Don't be stupid!" she snapped, backing up, "You don't! You-you can't!" Then, turning on her heel, she fled, not answering Rachel's phone calls and avoiding her completely until the day high school started and there she was: a popular Cheerio rabidly determined to punish Rachel for ever making her question herself.

* * *

#5:

When Rachel gets pregnant with their first child, Santana makes her  _swear_ she won't push through naming their child Fantine, Carlotta, Cornelius, Ubaldo, or any other Broadway inspired name while she's distracted holding their child for the first time. They decide  _together_.

* * *

#6:

(Referencing my story [Ill Repute](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11232618))

Rachel  _finally_ gets her old time saloon dancer and sharpshooter cheesy couple portrait with Santana, black and white and all.

/

And here's a bonus add-on ficlet by [lightblue_Nymphadora](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lightblue_Nymphadora)!:

_But then a new space-themed amusement park opens near them, and Santana insists on a Space Ranger/Moon Princess picture._

_And when they go to San Diego to visit Mercedes over their spring break freshman year, they end up taking a scuba diver (Rachel) and mermaid (Santana) picture._

_Rachel's family vacations in Colorado over the summer, with Santana in attendance, and they end up with a distressed skier and abominable snowman picture (the kind with the cutouts that you stick your face in)._

_By the time they graduate college, their fridge is filled with pictures of them in costumes, peeping through wooden cutouts, or superimposed onto fantastic scenery._

_Years later, it's still their favorite tradition, and they take it as a compliment when their kids complain. :)_

* * *

#7:

The first time Rachel, gazing surreptitiously at Santana down the hallway, realized that she wasn't just imagining herself in the Cheerio skirt, but imagining herself actually  _in_ Santana's Cheerio skirt, she ended up knee-jerkily hitting herself in the face with her locker door.

* * *

#8:

While "I believe you," was the first time Santana  _truly_  smiled at Rachel, it wasn't the last.

* * *

#9:

The amount of times Santana thought seriously about the various ways of muffling Rachel's never-ending cascade of words: with her hand, that musty old pillow,  _Porcelain's_ hand, her mouth, one of Kurt's ties, one of her…  _other_ things, would have been enough to power the entire state of New York's electrical needs for a whole year if somehow transmuted into legit, workable energy.

* * *

#10:

(Referencing my story [Keep It For When I'm Famous](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11232657))

Santana kept it until Rachel was famous. And then even afterwards.

(And in some universes, it didn't matter because they were married or together or friends or coworkers or roommates and Santana could have as many autographs as she wanted, anytime.)


	2. Chapter 2

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #11:

Their parents being coworkers, Rachel had been invited to Santana's 6th birthday party. Having no knowledge of whatever "Power Rangers" was, she showed up in her favorite pink sundress and ribbon, clutching a meticulously wrapped oven baked stained glass kit in her arms. When Noah and a kid Rachel had never met before named Dave, both wearing oddly color coded people on their shirts, started to make fun of her in the middle of the party, Santana, in light up shoes and a shiny yellow costume, had looked at her and shrugged, saying obviously she was the Pink Ranger, not-morphed, and to stop so they could eat her cake already. Sniffling, and surreptitiously trying to wipe her tears away, Rachel had hung back for the rest of the afternoon.

Rachel waited until the end to shuffle up to Santana and whisper a thank you, telling her that she was sorry she didn't get her anything "Power Rangers", but oven baked stained glass was fun, promise. Shrugging again, Santana told her she should check out the show, and, under the watchful eye of her mother, politely thanked her for coming before waving goodbye when Rachel's dads came to collect her.

For Rachel's sixth birthday, it was  _her_ turn to have a Power Ranger's themed party. When she arrived with her parents, Santana laughed and shoved a sloppily wrapped present at her without taking her eyes off the huge swimming pool they had in the backyard, adding, almost distractedly, that she  _knew_  Rachel would like it, what a good Pink Power Ranger outfit, it was almost as cool as her own, and can she go swimming already?

* * *

#12:

Rachel adores Santana's dimples.

* * *

#13:

Even with all the time Santana had spent coming up with and verbalizing insults about Rachel's nose, she really did think it was quite cute, after all.

* * *

#14:

In a world where Rachel breaks up with Finn instead of accepting his marriage proposal:

Santana is the one who finds Rachel crying in the bathroom. Giving her tough love and complimenting her for dropping the giant oaf, Santana fluffs her hair, checks her makeup in the mirror, and turns to go. However, with her hand on the bathroom door, she pauses, looking at Rachel over her shoulder. "It's not your fault he tried to shackle you," she says dispassionately, "You always were better than him." Then, with another pause, her eyes sweeping up and down Rachel's body, her gaze lingering for an extra second on her tear-stained face, Santana leaves.

* * *

#15:

Their first kiss happened after a mad dash from Santana's car to Rachel's front door, hoping to miss most of the afternoon downpour and failing. They were in Rachel's room, slightly shivering from the cold and wet, Rachel's bangs stuck to her forehead and Santana's ponytail slick along the back of her neck, the towels Rachel had fetched forgotten on her bed. Rachel's hand was curled in Santana's camisole, her other trembling against the side of Santana's damp neck while Santana cupped her lower back, her thumb stroking along Rachel's chilled cheek. "Mmmn, well," Santana breathed when she moved back, her lips curling up, "That wasn't  _actually_ that bad.  _Somehow_." A soft laugh escaped Rachel. "Santana," she smiled, gazing up at the taller girl and lifting her chin, almost breathless when Santana leaned in again, " _Please_. Not at all."

* * *

#16:

So Emotional: What Rachel and Santana secretly wanted to do.

* * *

#17:

Courtesy of guest thinker [poohlikeaboss](http://www.poohlikeaboss.tumblr.com) on tumblr:

Santana is so mean to Rachel because she's preparing her to be ready for anyone else to be mean to her, like building up her thick skin. Also, she's so mean to her so no one else, currently, will be as mean - only she can be so, because she's devastatingly in love with her.

* * *

#18:

The first time Rachel slid onto the couch next to Santana, pressing close to her side and accepting the settling arm on her shoulders, Santana almost started crying. Not actual physical tears where her eyes started burning and the thick feeling came into her throat, but the kind of mental tears where that odd place inside of her warmed and marveled and rolled over with,  _Who'd think we'd actually get here_?

* * *

#19:

(Referencing my story [A Perfect Waste of Time](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3391520))

Rachel only lasted a week before she needed to see Satan again.

* * *

#20:

The first time Santana turned to Rachel, raising her eyebrows and commenting  _positively_  on her outfit, Rachel almost stumbled over her words, so excited and proud, sitting tall. She may not have worn her Britney outfit for Santana, but it didn't mean it didn't mean a lot to her; it  _was_  Santana, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #21:

Whenever Rachel's dog, an English bulldog named Fiyero, ignores his owner to run and snuffle at Santana, his paws on her shins and his tongue lolling as he begs for pats, Santana can't stop the smug smirk that crosses her face. It's not her fault he recognizes quality. She just wishes he'd stop trying to drag her over to Rachel - he was supposed to keep that particular drunken confession  _secret_!

(Tumblr tags: woo a hark back to my other blog XD, fiyero the pezberry dog)

* * *

#22:

Walking into her bedroom to find Rachel in her extra Cheerio top and skirt resulted in one of the best days (and/or fantasies) of Santana's sexual life.

* * *

#23:

While Rachel found it kind of exciting and almost like a 'rite of passage' to play Santana's wingwoman with Dani, as well as she really did think they made a cute match, it wasn't until the first time she saw them kiss that she registered the sinking disappointment in her stomach as such. Excusing herself to the bathroom, she pressed her hands to her face, stared at herself in the mirror, and exhaled a slow, expressive, "Oh boy."

* * *

#24:

Santana was the first person to show Rachel the benefits of dating someone not afraid to explore and show her what heights her body could go to - if not where their bodies could go to  _together_ , too.

(Tumblr tags: yes i'm throwing shade but let's be realistic, finn doesn't seem the type of guy to experiment much nor do much more than he thinks he should, and i can't see rachel being secure enough at that age to take control enough to get what she wants with him, and brody?, yeah he'd be more assertive but again white straight boy kind who thinks he knows more than most, so doesn't think he needs to do more, i'm not necessarily meaning kink or bdsm or what have you, but just like knowing how to touch and play and read rachel's body, FOREPLAY, there's that too, though something tells me brody would know all about that and i'm sure rachel taught finn too, ...and wow that's not where i thought these tags would go XD)

* * *

#25:

Rachel may have been the worst snowman builder Santana had ever seen, clumsy and unpracticed, but somehow the small girl made up for it in enthusiasm and laughter; with her cheeks and nose flushed with the cold, and glistening snowflakes peppering her bangs and hat and shoulders, she was almost… Beautiful. Santana couldn't look away. So naturally she did what she did best: used her words and carefully structured barbs to ensure Rachel kept her distance and didn't catch her. That would have been awkward.

* * *

#26:

Whenever Rachel smiles  _that_ smile, pleased and embarrassed and happy, tucking her hair behind her ear and bashfully looking down, Santana cups her cheeks to gently lift her face, leans in, and places a smiling kiss upon her nose.

* * *

#27:

Rachel told Santana pointblank that, now they were dating and Santana was securely out, she was going to have to expect her to show up to her cheerleader competitions in  _Team Santana_  shirts and homemade  _Go Santana!_ signs. Though Santana rolled her eyes and groaned about her girlfriend  _always_  needing all eyes on her, she couldn't deny the first time she caught sight of Rachel jumping up and down and cheering in the audience, shouting her name and giving her the biggest of thumbs ups, she'd never adored her girlfriend as much before as she did in that moment. It was cheesy and ridiculous and so, so Rachel. So yeah, under all that spectacle, Santana was one of the lucky ones.

* * *

#28:

In a world where Rachel and Santana started dating in junior year and are still together come senior year:

Before Rachel could even  _broach_  the topic of creepy-ass cat calendars with their faces superimposed on the cats' faces again, Santana pulled Rachel over to in front of her locker. "Here," she turned, opening her locker and taking out a calendar of her own, pushing it into Rachel's hands, "For you."

"These are…" Rachel's eyes widened as she flipped through the months, her mouth opening.

"Yeah, pics from my official Cheerios interviews and competitions," Santana smirked, reaching out to nudge Rachel's chin up so she looked at  _her_  again instead of… well…  _her;_  she raised another calendar, "And this one's for me."

The calendar of Santana jerked up, covering Rachel's mouth as she stared at what Santana held. "That's - oh  _San_!" she squealed, jumping forward and wrapping her arms around Santana's shoulders, pressing hard, excited kisses to her mouth. Then, jumping back just as quickly, she snatched it from Santana's hands, eagerly flipping through it.

"Wow,  _easy_ , girl. I knows I'm hot, but keep your panties on!" Santana laughed before crossing her arms and rolling her eyes, snarking, "We don't want that close-minded Figgins gettin' on our case again, do we?"

"I'll just contact the ACLU again," Rachel hummed, barely listening. She held up April, making the exact same pose in the photo, holding it for a couple of seconds before her nose crinkled and she squealed again, hugging Santana for the second time. "It's  _perfect_. I'll  _shine_  in your locker. How did you…?"

Santana scratched the side of her cheek, smiling, her other hand falling to stroke Rachel's side. "I got all the media from our glee activities and other occasions. … _Through various means_ … And picked the best ones." She shrugged. "B and Q helped get 'em mocked up." Accepting the kiss Rachel gave her, she briefly tightened her arm around Rachel's waist. "And, I'm not sure if you noticed already, but… Flip to January." Pressing a quick kiss to Rachel's ear, relishing the shiver that got her, she finally allowed her girlfriend to pull back.

"In both calendars?" Rachel asked, her eyes shining when Santana nodded. Choosing the calendar of herself first, she moved to January, a gasp escaping her mouth, tears rising in her eyes. "San…" she looked up at her.

Santana's smile softened. "Well," she shrugged a little self-consciously, her heart thumping just a bit harder in her chest, "It's the month we…"

"Started dating," Rachel sniffled, her smile getting even bigger. "And the other one? Mine? Does it have a picture of us, too?"

Santana nodded, happily gazing at her, taking her in, "Yeah." Opening her arms, knowing it was coming, Santana squeezed Rachel tightly when she leaped at her, already knowing her girl would have moved the calendars out of the way. Leaning back, pulling Rachel off her feet, she laughed, feeling like, as Rachel's face buried into her neck, the girl squealing yet  _again_ and practically blowing out her ear, she'd done the right thing. Sure, it was mushy, but, yeah, when it came down to it, Santana's rep could handle anyone finding out. Rachel was worth it. (And who said Santana couldn't go and throw her weight around and make her rep even  _more_ impressive and steel tight?  _No one_ , that's who.)

Besides.  _Anything_  except creepy-ass cat calendars with their faces superimposed on the cats' faces!  _Anything_!

(Rachel's adoring, touched smile was another plus, too.)

(Tumblr tags: okay this time i cheated with that description, still not a full and finished fic but more than i normally do for these things)

* * *

#29:

Just because Rachel and Santana started dating, it doesn't mean they don't clash. They do. Often. They're both strong personalities, and it takes a while for them to figure out how to gel and move into place to work  _with_  each other, not  _against_  each other like they used to. Edges are jagged even as they reach for each other, and when it works, it really,  _really_  works. Sometimes it just takes some time.

* * *

#30:

Brittany sends Santana pics and videos of all the things she thinks Santana should send to Rachel. They're like pictures of giant dogs with hamsters on their heads, or large cats playing with rats, and even once a picture of a lizard on the back of a horse.  _show 2 rach_ she adds to each link. Whenever Santana loses patience and asks her  _why_ she doesn't just send the pics to the hobbit  _herself_ , and stop relying on Santana like an unpaid intern (not to mention Brittany's sitting  _right next to her_ ), Brittany just rolls her eyes, already in the process of sending another picture, "You're the one who likes her. So you should show her how silly she looks with Finn. They can be cute, maybe - especially when Rachel's a cat like Lord Tubbington and Charity's kittens and Finn's one of my aunt's wolf-hybrids, but how do they kiss or make out or do  _anything_  without him crushing her? It's like a baby with a giant. Not hot."

(Tumblr tags: i don't know - the brittany feels just hit me XD)


	4. Chapter 4

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #31:

When Santana patted the seat next to her for Rachel to sit down, Rachel stopped and stared at her. Finally, blinking and walking over, she made sure to keep an eye on Santana as she cautiously sank down.

"Yeah, not gonna bite, Berry," Santana rolled her eyes, shaking her head and pushing her hair behind her shoulder, "Just looked like your tiny, vertically challenged legs wouldn't be able to hold you up for too much longer. And since you falling would be blamed on me, I'm stopping it before it happens, mkay?"

"…Right," Rachel started nodding, stopped, then finished the motion, taking a deep breath and pulling out their assigned music sheets, "Even though that doesn't make sense and I still don't understand your continued fixation on my height - or perceived lack of - of which I'm perfectly well within the average height for a female of my age and ethnicity, thank you very much - I'll thank you for the offer and, as you've already seen, accept it."

Santana rolled her eyes again. "God, you just  _can't_ stop talking once you get started, can you? Well, whatever. We don't have time for this." She raised her hands, waving her fingers in a careless 'gimme' motion. "I'm already getting bored. Show me the music."

Exhaling, then pasting a smile on her face, Rachel acquiesced. "Well, Santana, then you are in luck! I promise you will not find  _this_  boring in the least. In fact, out of Mr. Schuester's collection, this one is one of my personal favorites, and believe me, I  _made sure_  I'd get assigned to it. Your involvement was, if I may say, an unexpected - "

" _Berry_. Sheet music.  _Now_."

(Tumblr tags: see these are supposed to be lightweight bare bones thought things, not dialogue and description of the action types, and yet here we are, am i truly surprised?, what do you think?, XD, the true surprising thing is how long it took me to start slipping)

* * *

#32:

As soon as she felt she could get away with it, Rachel took Santana's hand, and as soon as she felt comfortable, Santana didn't immediately pull away. It took a while, but eventually Santana was the one reaching out, Rachel happily moving in to meet her.

* * *

#33:

(Referencing my story [It's More Than Just Starside](http://archiveofourown.org/works/11232540))

By the end of the night, Rachel knew she was going to keep Santana around for the whole weekend. It was time to reconnect. And maybe it was also time to begin figuring out if what they almost had was worth it to have now. Or soon. (Rachel suspected that yes, yes it was.)

* * *

#34:

Lazy days with Rachel on the couch, Rachel watching her shows with a bowl of vegan popcorn to her left, Santana lying with her head on her lap, flipping through her magazines and making snarky comments about what's going on onscreen while fending off huffy pokes of Rachel's finger… That's what Santana, having since moved on and married Brittany, still misses. Sometimes.

* * *

#35:

Leaning in for their first kiss, Santana was met with the skin of Rachel's cheek. Pulling back, she smirked at the flustered blush and stuttered apology, Rachel having been in the process of turning her head to tuck her hair behind her ear, and reached up, wiping away the lip gloss she'd left with her thumb. Then, with her hand still lightly cupping Rachel's face, Santana leaned in for another try. And succeeded.

* * *

#36:

Rachel showed up to Santana's house to give her a birthday present. "I figured you wouldn't want to be seen accepting anything from me at school," she explained, pushing the present into Santana's hands.

Santana raised her eyebrows, looking down at the present then back up to Rachel. "…Okay," she held up the colorfully wrapped box, her other hand settling on her hip, "What is this? A bribe? A bomb? A cow's head skewered on a pike?"

" _Santana_ ," Rachel snapped, "I would never! And how would that fit in there, anyway?" She gestured at the small box, huffing and crossing her arms. When Santana only smirked at her, not moving to open the present or respond, she sighed and loosened her arms, nodding. "Though I would have liked seeing you open the present with my own eyes, it is obvious you were in the middle of something. I hope you enjoy it." Then, with a small, hesitant smile and one more, "Happy Birthday," she turned on her heel, starting the walk to her car.

"Don't crash!" Santana graciously called to her, "Wouldn't want to have to attend a Hobbit funeral - I can only stand so many small people before I break out into hives." Smirking at the wave over Rachel's shoulder that got, she looked down at the present, hmming and turning it in her hands as she made her way back inside her house.

Brushing off her mother's suggestion of inviting Rachel in for cake, "She's vegan. Besides, she said she had a music lesson to go to, anyway," Santana joined her mother in the kitchen, stealing a quick swipe of frosting before dodging her mother's swat, laughing. "She just wanted to give me this," she explained, taking a seat on the kitchen counter, the present propped up in her hands.

"What pretty wrapping. And so artfully done! I bet Rachel did that herself; Hiram is always talking about his daughter's drive for perfection," Maribel offered, entirely unsolicited.

Santana made an inner face at the reminder that her parents worked with Rachel's, but nodded, pulling the ribbon off.

"In her singing lessons, dancing lessons, after school clubs… Maybe you should take a page from her book, Santana." Maribel grinned at her daughter, "It was very nice of her to drop off the gift. Though surprising, as I know for a fact you see each other at school."

Rolling her eyes, Santana retorted, "Maybe she hadn't gotten it yet. I don't know. And no. The less I'm like Rachel, the happier I'll be." Then, to cut off her mother's probable reprimand, she dropped the unwrapped wrapping paper next to the sink, revealing a small jewelry box. Having already figured that's what it was, Santana slowly opened the lid, curious to see what the smaller girl had gotten her.

Inside was a heart pendent necklace, similar to the one she'd lost a couple months ago during their stay in Columbus for Sectionals. Santana's eyebrows rocketed up. She'd torn apart her hotel room, upending all of her and Quinn's and Tina's and Rachel's things multiple times in a search for it, going so far as to interrogate the staff of the hotel until finally growling and snapping at everyone who tried to talk to her the whole bus ride home. It had been one of her favorite jewelry pieces, something she'd picked up herself at a jewelry store in Los Angeles ten years ago, and she was still dealing with occasional twinges of loss. She hadn't expected Rachel to care at all.

"That's very pretty," Maribel commented, taking a couple of steps closer to get a better look, watching as Santana pulled it from the box and dangled it from her fingers.

"Yeah…" Santana replied, unsure of how to feel. Thankful? Insulted? The gift was nice, definitely thoughtful, but a little misguided; it wasn't like one piece of jewelry made up for the loss of another. Spotting a card sticking out from the bottom of the jewelry box, Santana handed her mother the necklace to hold for her as she opened it, her eyebrows furrowing as she read.

_Dear Santana,_

_As I can guess that you probably wouldn't have wanted me to stand around as you opened this, I'm leaving this note in advance to offer explanation for my intentions and birthday wishes._

_I'd noticed that you hadn't replaced your necklace yet, and if you're anything like me, you probably feel a bit naked. I can't say I know how much that original heart necklace must have meant to you, but I was thinking this could serve as at least a temporary solution until you can find another necklace you like better to take its place._

_Again, I know this is no consolation for the necklace you lost in Columbus, but I still hope this can put a smile on your face._

_Happy Birthday,_

_Rachel Barbra Berry *_

The girl had actually used a gold star sticker at the end of her name. Santana half-smiled, looking over the note once more before turning to her mother, who was still looking over the heart pendent in the sunlight coming into the room.

Noticing she had her daughter's attention again, Maribel smiled, lifting the necklace invitingly. "Do you want help putting it on? Or are you going to save it for later?"

"Later," Santana hummed, hopping down from the counter and accepting back the necklace, "I'm just gonna put it in my jewelry box for now."

"…And don't forget to thank Rachel for the present!" Maribel called after her as she left the kitchen.

Santana nodded distractedly. "Yeah, yeah," she answered flippantly, studying the necklace again before shouldering her door open and placing it and the note and box onto her desk. Pulling her phone from her pocket, she scrolled to Rachel's alias,  _Hobbit Princess_ , highlighting it to send out a quick,  _thanks_

The response took fifteen minutes, Rachel still probably having been driving home.  _You're very welcome! :) Happy Birthday!_

Thinking about saying something again, Santana decided against it, shaking her head and slipping her phone back into her pocket. Maybe later, if at all. Now, she was helping her mother set out the dishes and cutlery for her cake. It was double chocolate, and it looked  _delicious_.

(Tumblr tags: you know i actually started writing this as a fic and went no, deleting it and starting over?, well guess what, it ended up turning into a fic anyways, XD)

* * *

#37:

When Rachel caught sight of Santana in a bikini, pushing herself up and out of the pool, she almost dropped the tray of lemonade she'd been carrying out. When Santana caught sight of Rachel, clad in a scantier-than-she-would-have-thought one piece and sarong, she actually slipped and fell off the side of the pool, landing head first and backwards into the water.

* * *

#38:

Rachel had always disliked going to the dentist. But ever since junior year and her traumatizing experience with her blue mouth in glee club and the subsequent dental appointment, her dislike had turned into absolute, passionate abhorrence, and she adamantly avoids going to the dentist as long as she can.

Santana catches on when Rachel nurses a toothache for two weeks - "You're a singer! So normally obsessed with making sure you have, like, crazy oral health, even  _I_  feel it when you brush your teeth!" - and finally corners Rachel in the kitchen, slapping a number of the dentist she'd been referred to by her father down onto the counter next to her. "Here.  _Go_  so I can stop hearing you bitch and moan around the loft. It's exhausting."

"For  _you_?" Rachel scoffs, but groans and nods, picking up the number even as her foot stomps, Santana cocking her head a little to watch the moment. Then, taking a moment to read over the information, Rachel raises her perfectly designed puppy dog eyes at her roommate. "Come with me?"

"What?" Santana stares at her. " _Why_?

"Wait," the taller girl raises her hand, holding it into the air before placing it on her forehead, dramatically turning on her foot and taking a few steps away, "Oh my god. You want me to haul your tiny hobbit ass into the office like a sack of annoying, irritatingly on pitch potatoes."

Rachel shifts on her feet. "Right," she admits, "But really not  _that_ , please. I meant some way nicer. Like promising me first turn with the karaoke machine that night.  _Or all nights_.

"I-it's just so I don't turn around and walk away," she rushes ahead, closing the space between them to touch Santana's arm, encouraging her her to face her again, "O-or sleepwalk, like that one time my daddy told me I did when he tried to take me to the dentist's office without my knowledge." Rachel looks down. "I was told later I ended up kicking two hygienists and throwing a third grader to the ground on my escape out, but - "

" _Oh my god_." Santana slaps her hands onto Rachel's shoulders, stopping her. "Stop. Stop. The more you talk, the more turned off I get." She studies Rachel severely. "What would I get out of it?"

Rachel blinks up at her. "Friendship… Points?" she tries.

"Oh please. Like I'm already not top friend around here." Letting Rachel go, she crosses her arms.

Pursing her lips, Rachel finally gives up, nothing she can think of being something  _Santana_  wants. " _Fine_. What would  _you_  want? And nothing illegal, please. Nor mentally scarring! I  _still_  have nightmares of last month, thank you very much. It's ruined so much of the necessary sleep I need to flourish, and, and has thrown my  _whole_  outlined sleep schedule off track! I'm only  _barely_ catching up to where I need to be. Not to mention Kurt still hasn't gotten the stains out of his best ascot, either," Rachel huffs, shaking her head, "Which he feels the need to tell me each time he goes through his collection."

"Which is  _always."_ Santana rolls her eyes; letting herself smirk at the word 'ascot', she shakes away the smirk a second later. "Ugh, let that  _go_. And tell that gummy best friends of yours to stop bitching to me about it, either."

"He's your roommate too," Rachel mutters, "Why not tell him yourself?"

Santana ignores her. "But yeah. No. I don't want to deal with that troubadour troupe and that obnoxious juggling unicyclist again, either. He irons his  _socks_!" Shaking her head, she glances at Rachel again, her brain obviously calculating something, and she mmms, shifting her gaze to the side.

"Santana."

"Shh."

Rachel sighs. "Santana, I - "

" _Shh_." Santana raises her hand, and, frustrated, Rachel lapses into a heavy, reluctant silence.

Then, as Rachel watches her, a long, real smirk starts from one corner of Santana's mouth, finally turning into a full one before she parts her lips, her direct gaze centering on Rachel's face again. "Okay."

Rachel immediately brightens, smiling, her hands coming up to squeeze together. "You'll do it? I knew you would see the benefits of helping out a friend!"

Holding her hand up again, Santana stops her. " _Ah_! Not so fast, Berry. As sad as it is that you, supposedly an almost grown adult, still needs someone to keep you  _accountable_  for doing something about  _hot pokers jabbing you in the jaw_ , as you've put it, I'll help you." She drops her fingers to only leave her pointer up. "With one condition."

Rachel eases down on her feet. She studies Santana warily. "…What?" She wets her lips nervously. "What condition?"

Santana's smirk grows, her eyes practically sparkling. "That we  _only_  go if you dress up in that hot-ass Britney outfit you showed up to school in after Doctor Hot And Not-So-Sadly Quickly Dumped gave you an exam."

" _What_?"

"And then  _don't_ take if off when we go out to that bar that doesn't card afterwards."

"What? Santana - you  _know_  how much attention that would give me!"

Santana nods, looking extremely satisfied. "In fact, you can't take it off all day. And night."

Opening her mouth, her jaw working as she starts spluttering, Rachel groans and covers her face with her hands, trying to hide her bright red cheeks. "…You just want all the free drinks, don't you?" she asks, muffled through her palms as she looks up at Santana with one eye peering through her fingers.

Santana grins and pats Rachel's head, teasingly pulling on a strand of her hair, "Yup." Then, turning to go, she stops to call back, "Don't forget the red bra!" and moves further towards the center of the loft, laughing.

Rachel groans into her hands again.

(Tumblr tags: i can't NOT make these into fics anymore!, i tried!, i really tried not to!, but when it flows it flows and ugh here you go, i just kept adding more and more and i have no idea what this is anymore, but at least it gives the SPIRIT of the rptotd that i'd initially come up with, yayyyy, ...and i actually ended up cutting a lot of stuff out too...)

* * *

#39:

More than once, Santana "accidentally" slammed the door of her locker into the back of Finn's head and shoulders, her smile always as fake as her apology as she closed the locker again without ever taking anything out of it. Honestly, she couldn't believe how long he was continuing to try to kiss Rachel right next to her without figuring it out.

* * *

#40:

Rachel saw Santana and Quinn at the wedding, recognizing the look on her roommate's face and, surprisingly, seeing it mirrored on Quinn's. Something inside of her flipping, she turned away, and allowed herself to completely commit to the part inside her that wanted to reconnect with Finn.


	5. Chapter 5

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #41:

When she's feeling particularly vindictive, Santana will corner Rachel, press her body into hers, and whisper tauntingly into her ear, "Still not all up on this, Gayberry. And since the  _only_  way you'll ever get to see what all I's got is if I were, as you so  _nicely_  put it, 'working the pole'…" She laughs, using the pads of her fingers to push Rachel's head to the side, making sure to breathe along the line of her neck with each, punctuating, husk before pulling away completely, "It's. Never. Gonna. Happen."

(Tumblr tags: i wonder what type of 'in a world where' this would fit, hmm)

* * *

#42:

Once she's used to coming upon her girlfriend playing video games, Rachel often sits next to her to read her magazines or be on her phone, distractedly rubbing Santana's knee while nodding and agreeing that she's the best one on the team and everyone else has no idea what they're doing. Other days, Rachel slides onto her girlfriend's lap to snuggle into her chest, making Santana settle her controller onto her back, and kiss and nuzzle and stroke her until Santana shoos her off her, tries to teach her how to play, or abandons the game altogether to press Rachel down onto the couch and punish her in all the right ways for interrupting her game time.

(Tumblr tags: hey it's the answer to life the universe and everything)

* * *

#43:

In a world where second season Rachel, in desperation, went to Santana for help in getting Finn back:

One of Santana's conditions for her help was Rachel's understanding that she could and would, at any given time, give repeated, in-detail descriptions of the evening she took Finn's v-card, and Rachel  _had_  to listen and couldn't stop her.

Another was making it clear that Rachel would provide her with a nigh limitless Breadstix budget that would last, at the very least, until the end of the school year, no matter how soon Big and Lumpy was back in munchkin arms.

The third was Rachel had to do  _everything_  Santana told her to do,  _no_ protests. Or Santana would walk away, Rachel still responsible for keeping her stocked with 'sticks.

The last until Santana thought of more was a sworn and signed statement that, at any time in the future - meaning  _any_  time in the future - Santana could show up and avail herself of a favor, monetary good, or contact Rachel had cultivated.

(Tumblr tags: for some reason it was the fourth condition that gave rachel true pause, but she agreed anyway, ...and now i want to write this, XD)

* * *

#44:

Whenever Santana gets sick, Rachel will do  _everything_  she can to help that doesn't involve coming within three feet of her. She also wears a face mask, gloves, and once seriously considered a plague doctor mask until Santana sore-throatedly rasped that she would  _never_  touch her again if she made her nose even  _bigger_. Santana regretted not being able to kiss the sting of that one away for the next week.

* * *

#45:

When Rachel got slushied the first day back from winter break, junior year, Santana orchestrated all her leftover HBIC clout to publicly shame, punish, and arrange a public apology by lunch, Rachel staring in shock as Popular Heartthrob Douche Canoe Football Player #3 practically prostrated himself in front of her, all the colors of the rainbow in ice melting down his face and back.

* * *

#46:

_Sanchel. Sachel. Rantana. Rachtana._

Santana hmmed, her chin in her hand, writing out another potential portmanteau into her notebook. She ignored the teacher droning on in the background.

_Lochel. Loberry. Berrytana. Berrypez._

Her personal favorite,  _Satanberry_ , was already starred and circled, though she knew, knowing Rachel as she did, she'd better have a nice collection of them before approaching her.

Suddenly, a pale hand grabbed her notebook, hazel eye skimming over the words before, her shoulder coming up to block Santana's lunge, Quinn groaned, rolled her eyes, and added her own pencil to the list, practically slamming the book back onto the table.

 _Pezberry_.

Though Q was too smug for her own health, Santana had to admit the name  _was_ good. So she settled for, while not calling attention to Quinn when the teacher stopped to ask them what they were doing, not sticking up for her, either.

 _Pezberry_. Yeah. She could roll with it. Besides, Santana probably would have come up with it herself, given half a second more. Her names  _had_ been getting there.

Eh, she'd just tell Rachel she came up with it herself.

Turning the page and writing both  _Satanberry_ and  _Pezberry_  in her own handwriting as soon as the teacher turned around, Quinn sighing and rolling her eyes again, pointedly shunning her, she grinned, quickly starring and circling the portmanteaus. Two good, perfect, solid beginning options.

(Tumblr tags: thanks q)

/

And here's a bonus add-on ficlet by [lightblue_Nymphadora](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lightblue_Nymphadora)!:

_Something about Quinn as exasperated catalyst for little Pezberry moments is so delicious. Like, she doesn't do big stuff - their relationship isn't down to her - but her influence is sprinkled in tiny ways across their timeline._

_She came up with Pezberry._

_She instigated the tradition of the two giving each other fun socks for birthdays. "I don't know, Rachel, get her some socks with ninjas on them!" And Santana loves them._

_She gets "To the Moon and Back" stuck in Pezberry's heads and it becomes their song when they duet it._

_And so on…. Which is why she gets to make the Maid of Honor speech at their wedding._

_Again, I have feelings and it's purrpickle's fault._

* * *

#47:

In one of the worlds where Rachel is the first one to go in for a kiss:

She caught Santana unawares, mouth half-open and about to make a comment about the oddly  _not_  pink colors of her bedroom walls.

When Rachel pulled back laughing nervously and babbling a mile a minute, Santana stared at her, opened her mouth, closed it, and yanked Rachel back in.

* * *

#48:

When Rachel stopped automatically critiquing Santana after all of her songs, Santana felt it was a safe enough time to start not automatically hating everything that came out of Rachel's mouth in turn.

* * *

#49:

"Sex."

Rachel winced, her hands clenched white in her lap.

"Have you had it yet?" Taking his spoon out of his teacup, Hiram laid it primly on the saucer; he sipped his tea, never taking his eyes from Rachel.

"Dad - "

Hiram raised his hand, smiling. "We're just talking, honey. So have you? Have you slept with Santana yet?"

(Tumblr tags: this would be absolutely mortifying, for background - i've been writing dligtyh smut for the past two days, and trying to come up with these rptotds with that on the brain, just kept me coming back to sex, so, bet it didn't expect to get expressed this way, XD)

* * *

#50:

Alternative to #49:

Santana faltered, her locker door slamming shut harder than she meant it to. "You told your dads  _what_?"

"That we had sex last Friday," Rachel repeated herself, nodding as she continued brushing her hair. "Just as I'm sure you shared as much with Brittany. Thirty… Thirty one…"

Putting her hand out, as if to clasp Rachel's shoulder and turn her to face her, Santana stopped, raised her pointer finger, and slid around Rachel's side. "Forget about B. You're telling me," she pointed at Rachel, staring at her, "That you actually opened your mouth and told them I went down on you for two hours?"

Rachel frowned. Lowering her hairbrush, she reached up, curling her hand around Santana's finger, tugging it down. "Santana."

Santana continued whispering furiously. "That I rode you so hard your hand cramped up and we had to spend thirty minutes massaging it before you could even  _think_  about continuing?"

" _Santana_." Stuffing her hairbrush into the pocket of her dress, Rachel placed her hands onto Santana's shoulders, stopping her. "I  _didn't_  go into detail. But I talk about everything with my fathers. And this…" Rachel bit down onto her lower lip, a shy smile crossing her face, "This was important."

Scoffing, Santana threw her hands up, "Of course! You had your first assisted orgasm! Time to tell everyone!"

"They're not  _everyone_ ," Rachel snapped, drawing back; she turned away, her chin high, tight, arms crossing defensively across her chest, "And it wasn't  _just_ about…" She glanced at Santana. "Completing."

"Right,  _of course not_. I know how much you get yourself off."

" _Santana_."

Hearing the wounded tone in her girlfriend's voice, as well as taking in her high shoulders, Santana sighed sharply, shaking her head and bringing her fingers to the bridge of her nose, pinching it. "Fine.  _Yes_. You're right. Uncalled for." Inhaling deeply, she closed the distance between them, forcing herself to quickly squeeze Rachel's hand, then dropping her own and hanging it in the air close enough that Rachel could take it if she wanted to. "Sorry."

Rachel blinked, blinked again, then swallowed and nodded, taking Santana's hand just light enough that their fingers touched.

"I just…  _Ugh_. Why?"

Slowly moving into her girlfriend, Rachel relaxed when Santana didn't move away, allowing her to settle into her side and shoulder. She pressed her lips to Santana's ear, angling them away from the rest of the hallway. "It was my first time," she stated plainly, "Which I had with someone I care for." Her voice trembled, her hand slightly tightening around Santana's. "A lot."

When Santana didn't immediately answer, Rachel continued, her free hand falling to the older girl's hip, cupping it gently. "I talk about important things with my parents. Things that make me happy, o-or excited. Good things. And yes, sometimes private things. We're open with each other. We always have been."

Santana finally looked at her, rolling her eyes and shaking her head. "Yeah, that sounds like you. Too much like you, I can't believe I was even surprised. I'm not going to apologize for my initial freak out, though." Her gaze pointed, she raised her arm, sliding it around Rachel's waist and pulling her properly into her side, "That was justified. Just the stuff after."

Rachel shook her head. "I'm sorry. I… Well, I didn't  _think_ it would be a surprise. I told them…"

"Our first kiss was in the back of Holly's car, and it tasted like grape slushy and my hand ended up on your ass," Santana recited, smiling and rolling her eyes again. "Babe. That's  _totally_  different than telling them I was sucking your tits while knuckle deep inside you."

Gasping, Rachel whacked Santana's stomach with the back of her hand, turning and glaring up at her. "I  _told_ you, I never went into detail! They  _love_  you. And they're happy for us. I  _promise_. But,  _please_ ,  _must_  you keep using such coarse language in reference to our sexual life? Especially within these walls? I really don't - Santana, I really don't appreciate it."

"Of course they love me. I'm awesome. And, didn't you know?" Santana asked archly, "I already told Brittany. So if your dads show up for any reason, that's two  _more_ people who already know." She smirked, brushing a kiss across Rachel's forehead, squeezing her one more time before moving back to go to her locker. "I'm just catching everyone else up to speed. Besides," she winked, "You love when I talk dirty."

"That was in  _bed_." Blushing and huffing, presenting her back to Santana, Rachel squealed as strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist from behind, a soft kiss pressing against her cheek.

"Friday  _was_ good, wasn't it?" Santana whispered, kissing her cheek again when Rachel bit her lip and nodded, smiling. Santana grinned. "We're totes gonna do it again soon."

Rachel groan-laughed, her hand coming up to tangle in Santana's ponytail. " _Santana_."

" _Rachel_ ," Santana laughed, cupped Rachel's stomach, and kissed her.

(Tumblr tags: i'm not sure it matters but my headcanon for this one is that, rachel and santana had been dating for a while, becoming very physically comfortable with each other, and in front of the school and rachel's dads, but only recently finally took the last step, (the last step for them at least), santana likes rachel's dads but who wants to know the person they're dating's parents, know for SURE they've had sex and how?, definitely not santana that's for sure, XD)


	6. Chapter 6

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #51:

Santana adores kissing Rachel's smile.

Rachel adores that kissing her makes Santana smile.

*

Rachel loves kissing Santana's smile.

Santana loves that kissing her makes Rachel smile.

* * *

#52:

In the worlds where Rachel actually was pregnant:

Santana stepped up. She took Rachel to the doctor, getting the best referral from her father, and helped the younger woman organize all the supplements and supplies, clearing out space in the loft and getting Kurt to give up half of his closet space. She held Rachel after phone calls with her fathers, not brave enough to tell them yet, and then held her hand when she did the first time they came up to visit, backing her up when she refused their suggestion of her coming back home with them. She helped talk Rachel through deciding whether or not to inform the other parent, having first already helped her decide if she wanted to take a DNA test, and then held her when Finn died before she had had the chance to tell him. She helped with morning sickness and dragged herself out of bed in the middle of the nights for weird cravings - complaining all the way, but she did it, making use of her acerbic tongue to get things fast and perfect. She helped Rachel during her shifts at the diner, keeping the most rowdy customers away, and covering for her when exhaustion started setting in. She tagged along when Rachel went to NYADA to explain the situation, not allowing Cassandra to bully her already stressed out, terrified friend for 'letting herself ruin her future', and held Rachel that night and the next day as well. She helped, sometimes not without losing her patience, or getting fed up, but she always came back, Rachel's favorite tea in hand and another book for expecting mothers for their overflowing bookcase. She helped shop for beds and strollers and breast pumps, always an inappropriate comment on her tongue, making Rachel crack up and feel just a little bit more prepared and like 'everything's gonna be okay'. She talked with Rachel, talked about everything and her experience with her mother's and cousins' and sister-in-law's pregnancies, and how it was going to be hard but Rachel was going to make it, and there'd be a new Broadway lovin' mini-munchkin runnin' around before she knew it, around to accompany Rachel to all the red carpet events and award shows she'd still have because this wasn't going to derail her dreams - just postpone them. She massaged Rachel when she needed it, and even sometimes when she didn't, always in exchange for some of Rachel's amazing vegan lemon bread, and was often around for cuddling on the couch or sitting far, far away because Rachel was getting overheated, damp towels pushed into Rachel's hands before she even opened her mouth to ask for them. Santana was there, like she said she would be, always checking in on the evenings Rachel told her to go out and have fun - have "Santana time", and face timed when she had to go home to Lima for a week, coming back with the softest stuffed bear Rachel had ever seen to put in the designated nursery area. She helped practice getting Rachel to the hospital, and went to Lamaze classes with her, even when Rachel decided on ungodly hours of the morning weekend ones, complaining and dragging herself, but going. She wasn't always perfect, and she wasn't always kind, but she did more than Rachel ever would have thought.

And in some universes, Rachel fell in love with her for it. In some universes, she said something. In some universes, she didn't. And in some universes, it isn't until after the baby is born does Rachel, watching Santana hold her child after being in there for the birth, ask Santana if she wants to raise it together, with her, as a family. And in some of those universes, smiling and settling Baby Berry into Rachel's arms, adjusting the blankets around them, Santana says, weren't they already?

But in my favorite universes, it's in the middle of three am cryings and disgusting diaper changes, barely any sleep and round the clock schedules for Rachel, Santana, and Kurt, that Rachel, exhausted and getting ready to pull Santana down for a nap with her, stops and turns to her friend, asking her if she feels how everything's changed - between them, for them - and, maybe, she would like to explore that with her. And in those same universes, Santana, groaning and falling into bed, barely waiting for Rachel to join her to spoon her and pull the covers up around the both of them, mumbles, already falling asleep, that it's  _way_  past time for beauty sleep, Baby Berry has too powerful lungs, and she'll kiss her when they wake up.

(Tumblr tags: okay so i know the tense change but i'm sorry i'm not changing it, it's how the thingie flowed for me, and i'd go crazy trying to change all of it i know)

* * *

#53:

Santana hates Rachel. She really does. One more word and she'll  _love_  to slap the pretentiousness out of her never-ending machine gun mouth.

(It's so not fair the next thing out of the hobbit's mouth is a compliment about Santana's singing voice. It leaves Santana so blindsided that she can only spit something out about cigars to brush her off.)

* * *

#54:

Santana never forgot that Rachel was vegan.

(Tumblr tags: she'd make fun of her for it, but she never forgot)

* * *

#55:

In a world where Santana gains soap opera-esque amnesia:

Rachel was one of the first faces she saw after her family, careful and almost fragile with her as she offered to catch her up with school. Finding this girl interesting, as well as a change from how the others treated her - willing to work with her amnesia instead of challenging it, Santana spent much of her time with her. She just didn't understand why she always seemed so nervous and skittish around her (when her seemingly natural disposition of speaking her mind and being a leader wasn't on display), especially once they started getting closer. Sure, Santana had found that she had a terrible reputation, and sharp words and anger came to her easily, but that didn't seem enough.

Finally, when she'd already made sure Rachel wasn't the cause for her amnesia in any conceivable way, Santana sat her down, asking her point-blankedly why she was running away from her.

It took a while, but it turned out that Rachel, seeing more of the old Santana coming back, and having been steadily falling for her (having at first only made herself available to Santana under some sense of obligation as glee captain and hopeful friend), was afraid that Santana would remember how she used to treat her, or felt about her, and drop her. She was preemptively distancing herself.

Sitting there for a few moments, Santana turned the logic back on her. Yes, she was regaining her memories, slowly, very slowly, but what if Rachel didn't like her then? Not like her for that same reason she was afraid Santana would stop liking her? So, she asked, smiling at Rachel, shouldn't they have this now?

* * *

#56:

Rachel's fathers ran into Santana's grandmother at the grocery store. Having heard Santana's story from Rachel, still feeling guilty for her boyfriend's actions that caused Santana to be outed, Hiram and LeRoy, already acquainted with Alma, approached her.

Five days later, perhaps peripherally sparked by her conversation with the two men, Santana got a visit from her Abuela.

* * *

#57:

The couple that judges together, stays together. And Santana and Rachel are some of the  _queens_ of judging.

/

And here's a bonus add-on ficlet by [lightblue_Nymphadora](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lightblue_Nymphadora)!:

_"This bitch…" Santana whispered. Rachel nudged her, but Santana saw the blatant disapproval in her wife's face._

_"I'm sure Sam's mother is a lovely woman. Don't call her a bitch," Rachel muttered back._

_"She wore white to his wedding!"_

_"Mercedes already gave Quinn permission to spill red wine on her."_

_Santana tried to hold in her laughter, and saw to her amusement, that Rachel was doing the same. Of all the things she loved about her wife, their matching judge-swag was right near the top of the list._

* * *

#58:

"Mmm," Rachel smiled, fingers trailing down and smoothing the neckline of Santana's dress, "Careful, or I might think you're trying to intentionally get us caught."

Santana, her hands on the swell of Rachel's ass, only grinned, pulling her in for a kiss. "You 'n me in these hot ass dresses, you so delectably perched on my lap and the two of us gettin' our mack on?" she breathed against her lips, sliding a hand up and down Rachel's back, "I think it's the  _perfect_  way for the rest of the clueless 'Nude Erections' to learns we're together. They just need to…"

The door opened behind them.

"…Walk in," Santana finished, completely amused, before pressing her lips back against Rachel's.

(Tumblr tags: here have a kind of throwback to my fic, pillow talk, :D)

* * *

#59:

"What?"

Santana unapologetically nodded, continuing to unpack her suitcase. "You heard me right, Berry Short. You got yourself a new bed buddy."

"We have a couch - "

"Hell no." Straightening, Santana gave Rachel a pointed look. "That thing is ratty as hell. My back is  _not_  going to be its acupuncture victim." She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "We shared a bed at Christmas. What's changed? Didn't think you'd suddenly be a prude. It's not like I sleep naked." She paused for effect. "Every night."

Rachel closed her eyes, shaking her head. "I'm not going to touch that. And, I'm not a prude, thank you very much. That's not the issue here. My bed is my personal space. What about Kurt?"

From where he had been drinking tea, loitering and  _not at all_  eavesdropping, Kurt looked at them. "Excuse you?"

Glancing at Kurt, Santana rolled her eyes. "While Porcelain smells amazing…"

"Thank you."

"And no doubt has a very comfortable bed, probably being allergic to harsh fabrics…"

"I am," Kurt agreed.

"I'm not sleeping with him. He's too  _bony_." Santana smirked. "In more ways than one."

Kurt choked into his tea, while Rachel looked confused for a few seconds. "I don't see how being slim would be… Oh,  _Santana_."

"What? It's not like he'd be able to withstand the hotness that is me."

"I'm  _gay_ , Santana."

"Hasn't stopped 'em before."

" _Santana_ ," Rachel raised her voice, shaking her head and waving her hands in front of her, "Who says  _I_ would be able to - " She abruptly slapped her hands over mouth, stared at Santana, then Kurt, then back at Santana, and turned on her heel, walking out of the blankets.

Kurt and Santana watched her go.

"Did she just…?" Kurt asked.

Santana nodded, looking contemplative as she studied the area Rachel had disappeared behind. "She did."

(Tumblr tags: (so this was inspired by a comment my friend, made to me about why santana would, prefer to sleep in rachel's bed rather than kurt's at the loft, not that santana NEVER sleeps in kurt's bed, she does, and he DOES smell very nice thank you very much))

* * *

#60:

Once they started dating, Santana went to each competition and contest Rachel had that she could. Though she didn't wear "Team Rachel" or "Go Rachel" shirts, she still clapped the loudest for her and whistled, and always greeted her with a rose and hug and kiss afterwards. Then she'd accompany the Berry family home to watch the recording Rachel's fathers had made, holding Rachel while they talked and discussed her performance, before, inevitably, the men would head upstairs with a wink and a soft warning about not getting up to funny business before Santana headed home.


	7. Chapter 7

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #61:

Rachel got a thrill every time she walked past Santana's locker and spied her photo up in the door.

(Tumblr tags: (the smiles santana would sometimes give her didn't hurt either))

* * *

#62:

Knowing Brittany would not be able to keep the secret of tutoring her in advanced modern dance (because Rachel was loathe to admit she was not perfect in  _anything_ , especially to the other members of the glee club), Rachel went to Santana instead. Originally starting with weekly practices on Sunday afternoon, as NYADA auditions came closer, Rachel made arrangements to do twice-a-week, then three, offering more and more incentives for Santana to agree. Getting better at modern dance was an outcome she completely expected. Ending up cheating on Finn was not.

* * *

#63:

Rachel stopped in her tracks. Santana had… Reading glasses?

Glancing up from behind black frames, Santana ruffled the pages of her magazine. "Take a picture, it'll last longer," she drawled, "Or better yet, stop gawking like an idiot."

"I'm sorry. I'm just surprised. I didn't know you had…" Rachel motioned at her face.

Santana rolled her eyes, pushing her hair behind her shoulder. " _Obviously_." She inhaled. "My eyes needed a break from my contacts, mmkay? That's all." She raised her hand, sweeping it away from her. "Move along now."

Knowing Santana wouldn't want to hear that she actually found the glasses very attractive, Rachel acquiesced.

(Tumblr tags: (she managed to take one more look though))

* * *

#64:

Every so often, while they were alone, Brittany would bring up the hotness of the intense, tiny girl with the big voice in glee club. Moving back from kissing the blonde's neck, Santana would roll her eyes and grumble, grudgingly agreeing, before distracting Brittany with her hands on her breasts. It wasn't that she didn't think Rachel was hot. It was more that she didn't want her girlfriend to notice just  _how_ hot she actually thought she was.

* * *

#65:

Santana scooped up Rachel's legs, depositing them onto her lap after dropping down into the space they had been taking up. Ignoring the squawk that got her, she grabbed up the remote, turned on the TV, and, already anticipating Rachel's reaction, shoved her hand into Rachel's face, fingers against her lips. "Shh!" she hissed, "Skin Wars is on."

Rachel sighed, sinking back and rolling her eyes. "I don't understand why you like it so much." She pushed her hair behind her ear, shaking her head and pulling her script back up.

"It's near naked art. What's  _not_  to like? Now, shush! Rebecca Romijn's on, and I'mma cut a bitch if you talk over her."

* * *

#66:

Santana was in the middle of taking a sip of wine when she choked, Kurt having to bang on her back as she tried to recover. When he slapped her between her shoulder blades, almost knocking her back down, she flashed her hand out to whack his arm, inhaling and protesting that she was okay, her voice high and tight in her throat. "I'm fine!  _Jeez_. I'm fine!"

"You sure?" Sounding extremely skeptical, Kurt stepped back, his eyebrows up as he surveyed his now almost frantically gulping wine roommate. "What happened?"

Unattractively wiping her mouth with the back of her arm, Santana turned on her heel, pulling Kurt in next to her. "That's  _Rachel_?" she hissed, jerking her head back.

Sighing and following Santana's directions, Kurt's eyebrows shot up again before he groaned, shaking his head as he settled his weight onto one foot. "Oh," he muttered, a second away from rolling eyes, "I see. So, I'm going to walk away now." He turned, waggling his fingers at her, "Have fun exploring your repressed lesbian yearnings.  _Without_ me."

"Hey!  _Kurt_! Porcelain!  _Hey_!  _Toothless Wonder_!" Growling as Kurt ignored her, disappearing into the crowd of NYADA students and fashion gophers alike, Santana whirled around at the touch of a small hand on the small of her back. Her hand already up ready to slap a bitch, she faltered, jerking back as the surprisingly attractive form of her other roommate blinked up at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Rachel smiled, pulling her hand back to push her hair behind her ear, her other hand curling around a glass of what looked to be the cheap-ish wine Santana had picked up with her fake ID after work, "I just wanted to get your attention."

Santana raised her own wineglass to her lips before, remembering she'd already drained it, she stashed it behind her back, not at all accidentally pushing her chest forward. "You have it. What's up? Enjoying the 'Trainwreck Extravaganza Take Two'?"

Nodding, Rachel took a sip of her wine. "Thank you for cleaning up your area. The, erm, couch seems to be quite… Popular."

"You mean for macking couples?" Santana smirked, "You do know this means I'mma taking over your bed later, right? At least until  _someone_  disinfects or sterilizes the couch. I'm  _not_  going to sleep on it knowing there's some baby juice just  _waiting_  to creep all up inside me."

"Santana! You  _know_  that's not how it works."

"Mmhm, right. Whatever you say. Still not gonna take the chance." Staring at her roommate clad in a scanty dress showing off both cleavage and legs, Santana blinked, bringing her empty wineglass back up in front of her; she rocked it back and forth. "'M going to refresh my drink. You want anything?"

Rachel smiled again, shaking her head. "You go ahead. I'm going to go mingle some more." Then, as Santana nodded, stepping forward to pass her, she reached out, her fingers soft against Santana's forearm. "Find me later?"

Santana looked at her.

"There's a couple of people I'd love for you to meet."

Nodding, Santana smiled, giving a shallow yes and promise before stepping into the crowd around them.

Entering the kitchen and refilling her glass with the first bottle of wine she found, Santana hmmed, staring into space. "All you have to do," she said out loud, her arm curling around her own waist, wineglass in front of her mouth as she ignored the people milling around her, "Is make sure no one else notices her dress or tries to take advantage of it. You have a date with her and her bed later, and you are  _not_  going to miss it." Then, nodding and clinking her glass as if against an imaginary one, she took a deep drought, refilled her glass again, and confidently walked back into the party.

(Tumblr tags: (she totally had this))

* * *

#67:

Santana's bed was comfortable. Having initially hoped to be offered the desk chair, seeing it covered in extra Cheerio uniforms as she walked into Santana's bedroom squashed that, so Rachel, after Santana waved carelessly at it, gingerly and stiffly sat on the edge of the mattress instead. Then, ignoring Santana's resulting smirk and quip, she handed over an already prepared duet score. Better to focus on that than… Other things.

* * *

#68:

If there was one thing Rachel knew about Santana, it was that she was unfailingly honest. Sharp and biting and sometimes completely self serving, when not willfully ignoring or keeping something back, she was honest. Rachel both appreciated and dreaded it.

* * *

#69:

"I'm just sayin'," Santana smiled, moving a strand of Rachel's hair behind her ear.

"You're just saying," Rachel parroted affectionately, sliding her arms around Santana's waist, stepping into her. "You're forgetting I know you. I know what you're really saying."

Santana shook her head, grinning. "I'm not forgetting anything. And, of course you do." She leaned in for a kiss.

Quinn, putting something away in her locker next to them, made a face. "Do you ever  _listen_  to yourselves?" she asked. "Can you  _actually_  tell what each other's saying?"

Pulling back, Santana turned her head to look at her. "Steps off, Q. Jus' 'cuz you're jealous - "

"I'm not jealous!"

" - doesn't mean you can lip service at me an' my girl."

"San." Laying her hand onto Santana's bicep, Rachel pecked her jaw before disengaging from her, smiling at Quinn. "Quinn, seeing as Santana and I were both aware of a conversation we had earlier, and we were both aware we were harking back to that specific conversation, yes, we  _can_ 'actually tell what each other is saying'. But thank you for the concern." Her smile grew as Santana's arm curled around her waist, pulling her into her.

Sighing and shaking her head, Quinn let it go. "You guys are disgusting together," she smiled. "Remind me why I'm friends with you?"

Santana smirked. "Because you wants what we gots."

"For the last time, I am not jealous!"

(Tumblr tags: 'envious then', 'stop it!', *stifles immature titters at the number*)

* * *

#70:

Courtesy of guest thinker [pauladeroma](http://www.pauladeroma.tumblr.com):

Santana used to make fun of Mr. Schuester's love for vests until Rachel commented how sexy Pepa Miranda (of Los Hombres de Paco and Pepa and Silvia fame) looked in them. Next thing Santana knew, she was dragging her bro, Mike, all over Lima on a vest shopping spree.

(Tumblr tags: santana in vests?, yes, please, :D)


	8. Chapter 8

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #71:

During their first year of college, Santana, knowing her girl would be interested in the colors and parades and culture, along with the street music, surprised Rachel with a trip down to Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The highlight of the trip, aside from the mind blowing,  _amazing_ sex in the Berry and Lopez family funded bed and breakfast, was Rachel, pressed close to Santana as they swayed to a street band in the early dusk, smiling up at her and telling her, in the midst of a boisterous crowd of celebrating people, that she'd never, ever, been happier.

(Tumblr tags: i just want out of high school santana and rachel, (nineteen year old santana and eighteen year old rachel), running around mardi gras together and enjoying each other, with travel and being alone and still being dependent on others' money, (hence the berry and lopez family funded b&b), but still responsible for each other)

* * *

#72:

It was with what, in hindsight, was an almost overwhelming sense of inevitability, that Santana found herself in Rachel's bed, the girl heavy in slumber across her chest. It wasn't the first time they'd been in that position. Santana had been bunking with her on and off in the loft, not to mention those few times at sleepovers in high school, but this time was different. Santana wasn't pushing Rachel off.

* * *

#73:

Though Rachel never said it out loud, she thought her and Santana's voices complimented each other better than her and Finn's ever had.

(Tumblr tags: and by the time she'd found that out in senior year, she was already completely in love with finn and couldn't think about not, singing with him)

* * *

#74:

In the worlds where Rachel and Santana are together:

The glee club/their coworkers/their roommates/their families always know when Rachel and Santana are fighting or dealing with issues because they have the most  _epic_ sing-offs and duets and solos. They're brutal and passionate and emotionally naked and exactly what they need to start relaxing their egos, air out their emotions, and open up a dialogue.

(Tumblr tags: some of their best performances have come from this, and their makeup songs always have everyone cheering and the two even better than before, :}, (i originally used the words grievances and mettles, and went what time period am i writing in?, XD, i would have kept them in but i couldn't figure out how to, make them not awkward in use))

* * *

#75:

Santana loves Rachel's mouth. Sure, she'd love it more under her own or shut tight, not talking, but it's still fun watching it purse and pout and part, too.

(Tumblr tags: 'fun' as in it 'DOES THINGS', :D)

/

And here's a bonus add-on by [FoxChaos](http://www.foxchaos.tumblr.com)!:

_But also maybe under something else, properly occupied and being pleasantly useful._

* * *

#76:

At first, Rachel assumed her response to Santana was only going to be heated jealousy and ugly, hateful spite. The girl had, after all, slept with her ex-boyfriend. But then, slowly, as she practiced their Sectionals performance, needing to be kept behind as her occasional unstoppable and unprofessional angry body language bade Mr. Schue to have her work with Santana for, "The good of the glee club and their chances for winning the competition," she felt her emotions shift. Change. Not only was she now slowly swallowing her pain in exchange for showing a united front, but she was also now authentically fawning and supporting Santana, practically caught in the spider's web of the other girl's voice and stage presence. It was equally dizzying and exciting and alarming, and the only reason she let it continue was because nothing Santana did told her she would ever, ever,  _ever_  air it in public.

(Tumblr tags: because what would santana ever gain, from exposing the hobbit's interest, except invite questions about her own sexuality?)

* * *

#77:

When their air conditioner broke, Santana was the most whiny, most full of complaints, and least clothed of the loft's inhabitants. In her words, she was, "Sticky and sweaty and gross and  _way_  too sexy to die from melting into the couch upholstery," and it was everyone  _else's_ responsibility to fix it - she wasn't going to let the sweaty on a  _cold_  day pervert of a superintendent a) breathe the same air as her and b) even get  _close_ enough to ogle her in her skivvies.

(In truth, a lot of Santana's frustration came from not being able to comfortably enjoy all the less than what she had bared but still substantial amount of skin Rachel had on display, seeing that touching her or rolling around on the bed together was off of the table for the foreseeable future - not to mention that just looking at her in the heat was just too… Hot. It had even turned out that trying to have sexy cold water showers was only  _barely_  tolerable before chattering teeth and impending water bills annoyingly leeched all the passion out of it - and if there was one thing Santana didn't want, it was passion draining out of her and Rachel's relationship - - even if it was caused by being financially responsible.)

(Tumblr tags: ugh, adulthood, in the end she got kurt to do it, there was no way she was going to allow her girl to get ogled either if she could help it, and he had the time to spare anyway, it wasn't like being a butt monkey for the magazine paid a lot, so here was a chance he could put a tic in his column for their merged 'quality of life' fund, and hey adam would forgive him for missing their three month anniversary anyway, (in the end rachel gladly backed up kurt's excuse for being an hour late, to their scheduled anniversary brunch, it was the least she could do to thank him for making it so she and santana, could have their extremely indulgent and frivolous showers again))

* * *

#78:

For Santana, falling in love with Rachel was like being that person who, not feeling the alcohol they'd been nursing all night, swallows the last whole bunch right before leaving the party and ends up vomiting on the side of the road because suddenly everything hits them all at once and they're left stumbling and fighting to stay upright.

* * *

#79:

Maribel Lopez  _adores_  Rachel. Don't get her wrong - she likes Brittany (who, to Maribel's complete amusement, still sends a card every Dia de los Muertos). But when Santana had started started bringing Rachel around senior year, the engagement ring still on her finger, Maribel had been the first one to predict, turning to her husband after the second dinner Rachel had eaten with them, that it wasn't going to last. And when it didn't, she continued, smiling as Carlos looked curiously at her, their daughter would be the one to pick up the pieces.

(As it turned out, it took longer than she initially thought, but she'd still been absolutely correct.)

(Tumblr tags: she cried at their wedding, talked about how much she knew she they were going to get together, and couldn't have been happier)

* * *

#80:

In a world where it was either Santana's birthday or one of Rachel's singing competitions:

Rachel chose her recital.

(Tumblr tags: 'i didn't see you until the next day!', 'i'm sorry but i didn't mean to miss your day! i was just preparing for my future', 'well guess what? you're not part of MY future anymore', 'santana? ...santana? santana!')

/

And here's a bonus add-on by [lightblue_Nymphadora](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lightblue_Nymphadora)!:

_There are a few ways this could go, and none of them are happy._

_1 - Rachel knows for weeks about the conflict. She just chooses the recital anyway, thinking Santana will understand. When she gets back, around 9 PM, she finds the apartment empty._

_2\. Rachel doesn't realize until halfway through the competition. She gets home and Santana is there, but won't talk to her._

_"But San, you know I have to do these comp -"_

_"No. You have to do auditions. You want to do these competitions. And I understand, but every once in a while, I'd like to be your priority."_

_3\. Rachel doesn't realize until days later. She notices that Santana has been withdrawn, but thinks her girlfriend is just stressed about school. She only realizes what she's missed when she finds the present and card that Quinn sent from England. When she asks why Santana didn't say anything, Santana just sort of shrugs sadly._

_"I figured…I'm happy to take a backseat every other day of the year. I thought you would at least remember my birthday."_

/

And here's another bonus add-on by [14andtaller-than-elise3auman](https://14andtaller-than-elise3auman.tumblr.com/)!:

_For the last one, I feel like you should expand on it:_

_Santana doesn't even try anymore. She comes home from work, hoping this year will be different, she really does. But, just like every other year, she's alone again, with her girlfriend out who knows where. She probably cried herself to sleep after having a really sad time staring at pictures of her and Rachel while eating an instant meal. But Rachel doesn't notice; she just comes home upset she didn't win first, gets into her PJ's and goes to bed, not even seeing Santana's tear stained face._

_The next few days were hard for Santana because she at least thought Rachel knew, she just chose the competition instead. But, just like everything else in her life, it seems to be much worse than what she thought. Her girlfriend of more than three years forgot her birthday…Again. She doesn't even try to give subtle hints this year; she's just so tired of it, she'll just let Rachel figure it out for herself. That's what she expected: for Rachel to see Santana upset and try to think about the dates and go "Oh crap… Her birthday…" But what she didn't expect was for the only reason Rachel finding out was from a present someone in a different continent got her. And so, when Rachel asked her why she didn't say anything, she said she thought she'd at least remembered her birthday after all Santana has pushed behind to make Rachel happy. All the long hours at work, the having to quit school, the never truly seeing Rachel if it wasn't at an audition or a day she finally had off to rest her vocal cords. She just thought after more than five years of knowing each other that she'd at least remember by now._

_So when Santana says she's going to a hotel, it doesn't surprise her when she hears the tiredness seeping from her own voice._

_It doesn't surprise her when Rachel couldn't say anything back after she told her why she didn't say anything._

_And it certainly didn't surprise her when Rachel never came and tried to get her back._

/

And here's another bonus add-on by [pauladeroma](http://www.pauladeroma.tumblr.com)!:

_Years later, the elevator door of Rachel's penthouse opens, and she is greeted by an empty place that she can't even call it home by how cold and uninhabited it feels. She drops her bag on the marble kitchen counter, dragging her lifeless body to the living where she throws herself on the couch._

_She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath and when she opens them again, she looks around the room, her eyes stopping on her EGOT. She should be happy, after all she finally has everything she has dreamed. Or at least it was what she thought until she received a pristine white envelop, saying 'Santana Lopez and Quinn Fabray gladly invite you to celebrate their wedding…'_


	9. Chapter 9

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #81:

"I'm reading."

"Oh, c'mon." Leaning her head back, pressing it into Rachel's thigh, Santana grinned up at her roommate. "You've been hiding yourself away for  _weeks_  now." She pouted. "I needs my clubbin' buddy. Who else will hold my crap if stuff gets cray?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "I'm sure you'd have plenty of admirers willing to."

Raising her hand and closing one eye, Santana slowly, and waveringly, poked Rachel's nose, her arm pushing Rachel's magazine back, into her chest. "Stop deflecting," she hummed, "Or does Auntie 'Tana have to pull out the big guns?"

"Excuse me," Rachel batted Santana's hand away. "I was reading that."

"Sweetie, with my head on your lap, I'm sure you could barely concentrate."

Clearing her throat, Rachel ruffled her magazine. "Your attempts to derail my thought processes by  _insisting_  on talking to me  _have_  been distracting, yes."

Santana smirked. She rapped her fingers on her stomach. "And  _how_  does that sound familiar, hmm?"

Rachel ignored her. "Aside from that, your head in my lap's just…" She shrugged, "Warm. That's all." She turned the page in her magazine. "A presence."

Santana's eyebrows rose. "Hmm. And we  _both_  know how long it's been since you've had a  _presence_  between your legs." Shifting, rolling a little with her arm ending up on Rachel's lap and her knees bent on the couch under her, she smirked up at the face Rachel made. "Another reason to go out with me! Find someone to unkink all the prude out of your formerly virginal and sweater-clad body. Wait." Her eyes traveled down Rachel's chest. " _Still_  wearing sweater body." She sighed. "Really?"

"It was chilly today!" Pushing herself back, and pulling her legs out from under Santana, Rachel huffed. " _Another_  reason I would rather not go out." Giving Santana a pointed look, she shook her head and went back to her magazine.

Sighing, Santana pushed her hair behind her ear, sinking back into the cushion next to Rachel. "You know, if you're  _cold_ ," she drawled, "Sex's good for that, too."

"I'm still not going."

Santana narrowed her eyes. She shifted to face Rachel again. "Fine. Forget potential cray. What if I said I needs my wingbabe?"

"Again, I'm sure some of your many admirers would be happy to fill in or volunteer."

Reaching out, Santana snagged the top of Rachel's magazine, pulling it down. "You're awfully concerned with my 'admirers', Rache," she stated. "I's not asking them. I'm asking you."

Rachel pulled her magazine back, almost slapping it down as she glared mildly at Santana. "I know you're asking me. All I'm doing is trying to redirect you by reminding you what other prospects you have. I truly do not wish to go out tonight, Santana. That's all." When Santana didn't seem mollified, she sighed. "Please. Go out. Have fun. But without me. Today's my scheduled downtime. Did you even look at the calendar?" At Santana's expression, she rolled her eyes. "Santana! We have that calendar for a reason!"

" _Fine._  Don't say I never listen to you," Santana stood up after more protests and attempts to sway Rachel's mind were unsuccessful, shaking her head and crossing her arms; walking over towards the kitchen and the calendar, she called back over her shoulder as she grabbed up the hanging pen, "But just know I'm schedulin' club time on your next free day! And you  _will_  be excited!"

(Tumblr tags: this could have gone in so many different directions, which is partly why i ended it the way i did)

* * *

#82:

Rachel cried herself to sleep in Santana's arms the night she found out about Finn. Kurt, his face pressed into Rachel's back, his long arms slung across her and Santana, wasn't any better. Santana, as she held Rachel, supporting Kurt as well, didn't sleep at all. She stared into Rachel's hair, felt Kurt's chest expand against her hands and arms with every breath, and thought about all the times she'd used Finn to cover up who she was, what she wanted to do, and who she'd wanted.

(Tumblr tags: you know it still feels weird addressing finn's death, and it think it's because of the circumstances that predicated it on the show)

* * *

#83:

Though the whole glee girls joining the football team affair was an exercise in ridiculousness, Santana couldn't deny that seeing the girls (and  _maybe_ Rachel in particular, shut up) in the pads and jerseys  _did_  something to her in that place deep down inside of her that didn't exist.

/

And here's a bonus add-on ficlet by [lightblue_Nymphadora](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lightblue_Nymphadora)!:

_Years later, when they've been dating for about two years, Rachel figures it out. She always thought Santana was just poking fun at her whenever she would bring it up, but she finds "football stud/sexy cheerleader" porn in Santana's search history, and everything clicks._

_Santana comes home one day to find Rachel in a football costume, and her mouth drops open._

_"First?" Rachel said. "You can be the football player next time we do this. Second? Remember to clear your search history, babe."_

_Santana just grins. "Not if this is the result."_

* * *

#84:

Santana squinted at her phone. "…Huh."

From where she had been brushing her hair at her vanity, Rachel smiled at her through the mirror, "What is it? Is it the boys?"

"Of a sort." Sitting up from where she'd been lounging ever since Rachel had gotten off of her to make sure she looked "somewhat" presentable by the time Sam and Puck came to pick them up, Santana shook her head. "It's your 'rents."

"My dads?"

"Mmhm." Santana nodded. She tucked her phone next to her thigh. "You're going to Cincinnati this weekend, right? They invited me along."

That made Rachel pause. She shifted in her seat, looking directly at Santana. "What?" Her lips turned up. "Really?"

Beckoning Rachel forward, waiting for her to put her hairbrush down and join her on the bed, Santana gave her her phone and slid forward, hugging her from behind, arms around her waist. She settled her chin onto her shoulder, watching as she read through the text.

"Wait, they're…" Rachel turned her head, meeting Santana's eyes, "Going to pay for an extra room for us?"

Santana smiled. "Seems like it."

Smiling back, Rachel looked like she didn't know if she wanted to squeal or frown. When Santana raised an eyebrow, poking her side, she jerked and pouted. "Why didn't they say anything to me?"

Santana shrugged. She tightened her hold around Rachel's waist. "Don't know. They're your dads. But if I  _had_  to guess…" She kissed Rachel's cheek. "Surprise? Or maybe they knew if you were the one to ask," she grinned, "You'd muck it up?"

"Hey." Squirming a little, Rachel twisted enough to glare balefully at her, her lip pouting out.

"Babe, remember when you tried to invite me to that Cincinnati Reds game a month after we started dating?" Santana laughed, pressing her cheek to Rachel's. "I wasn't sure if you were inviting me at all or telling me there was no point agreeing because I probably wouldn't like it anyway."

Rachel settled her hand over Santana's arms. "I was just… I just wanted to make sure that you didn't have to agree if you really didn't want to go. And it was something new. You know how 'un-sports' I am, let alone about  _baseball_."

Smirking, Santana nodded, nudging Rachel's chin up so she could kiss her. "And yet we still had fun. So yes. I  _will_  say yes to your dads." Kissing Rachel again, Santana laughed, letting her girlfriend go when Puck's car honked outside; she stretched, adding one more time before hopping off Rachel's bed, "I'll just have to make sure that our adjoining door is very, very,  _very_  locked."

* * *

#85:

During high school, Rachel never told anyone except her therapist about the sometimes lurid (sexually explicit and sexually teasing), sometimes full of only half-realized subtext (accepted friendship and accepted camaraderie), but always stirring dreams about Santana she had at least once a week.

(Tumblr tags: it only served to confuse her greatly and she did her best to ignore them outside of her therapist's office)

* * *

#86:

Everyone knows by now not to play mini golf with Santana and Rachel. They are  _extremely_  competitive, and along with Quinn and Brittany (their putt-putt partners), they have been thrown out of and banned from all the miniature golf courses within a 50 mile radius of Lima, Ohio.

(Tumblr tags: now i want to write a fic with all the faberrittana miniature golf, shenanigans possible)

* * *

#87:

When the whole disaster of paying Brittany to wear her sweaters and headbands and leg warmers blew over, Rachel would have appreciated  _some_  sort of acknowledgment from the rest of the Unholy Trinity. It was probably a good idea she hadn't held her breath though because that acknowledgment, when it  _did_  come, was two years later in a randomly thrown quip from Santana: "And even though your brief role in making a hot new thing was full of suddenly  _attractive_ sweaters and bangs-inducing headbands, it wasn't the height of your potential, Berry - and if I  _ever_ have to repeat that, I'll strangle you myself."

* * *

#88:

Once they became friends, Rachel found out that Santana gave  _the_ greatest hugs.

(Tumblr tags: santana thought rachel's hugs weren't too shabby either)

* * *

#89:

When it became time to decide on their married name, Santana figured it would be a simple decision. However, "Berry-Lopez," she said at the same time Rachel said, "Berry."

"What?" Santana spluttered, "I'm not going to just be Santana Berry! That sounds ridiculous!"

"But I've already established myself as Rachel Berry! And what's wrong with Santana Berry?" Rachel frowned. "I like it."

"Of course you would," Santana muttered, then shook her head. "No. Babe. C'mon. Santana Berry? It's, well, it's kind of funny, and that's not what I want people to think when I introduce myself to them.

" _Not to say I didn't like you with it_ ," she raised her voice, stopping Rachel from interjecting, "But it's not for me. Santana Berry-Lopez? That'd be me being, like,  _very_  Lopez. My family would like that." She reached out, taking Rachel's hand, "And  _I'd_  like that I'd have a piece of you, always."

Rachel looked down, smiling. "You've always been sweet." Then, sighing, she looked back up, her shoulders twisting a little. "But you'd already have a piece of me. Actually, you already  _do_  have a piece of me." She reached forward, laying her hand onto Santana's chest, over her heart; her fingers curled a little. "I just… I worked so hard to establish myself. Not that I was ever ashamed of my last name, but I  _do_  know people laughed at it and exploited it for jealous, silly names…"

"Berry Little, Bi-berry…" Santana murmured.

Rachel nodded. "Right."

"Sweetberry, Berrylicious, Berry Loud…"

" _Right_."

"Little Berry Quite Contrary -  _still_  proud of that one…"

" _Santana! Focus_." Squeezing her fiancee's hand, Rachel resettled herself in her seat, taking her hand from Santana's chest to push her hair behind her ear.

Muffling a laugh when her "But I was on a roll," only got an unamused glare, Santana leaned forward, pressing her lips to Rachel's; patiently waiting until she kissed her back, she laced her fingers with hers. "Okay," she smiled, "You can continue."

"How magnanimous of you," Rachel huffed, but smiled, kissing Santana once more before pulling back. " _Any_ way, as I was saying…"

"You're cute when you're huffy."

Rachel sighed. A smile lifted the corners of her mouth. " _Santana_ …"

Laughing, Santana lifted her free hand, pushing Rachel's hair back behind her ear when it slipped again. "I'm just sayin'! No wonder I'm marrying you." Momentarily cupping the other woman's jaw with her free hand, smiling and taking her in with loving eyes, she settled back into her chair, squeezing Rachel's hand before relinquishing it. "Okay. Sorry. No more distracting."

Smiling, Rachel shook her head. "You're never  _not_  distracting. Okay. Uhm…" she drew out the m, "Where was I?"

Santana bobbed her head, "Not ashamed, exploited, established…"

"Ah! Yes. Thank you."

"'S what I'm here for. Well, that and other things."

Rachel ignored her. "I love you. And there is certainly nothing wrong with Lopez - o-or Berry-Lopez. I'm just…" She took a deep breath, her eyes meeting Santana's. "I'm the daughter of two gay men, and engaged to another woman. I've made my mark as the young girl who didn't let the narrow-minded community she grew up in hold her back." She paused. "Do you get it?"

Santana studied her. "It's tied up with your identity." When Rachel nodded, looking vulnerable, she smiled, gently taking Rachel's shoulders into her hands. "As egotistical as this might sound, and I swear I'm not being disgustingly possessive, but, aren't I a part of your identity?" She gestured between them. "Aren't  _we_  - the journey of us - part of your story?"

"Yes. But…"

"But?" Santana sat back, an unconscious edge to her voice. Seeing the look in Rachel's eyes, she cleared her throat, softening her tone. "But?"

Rachel's slim shoulders rose. "I don't know. I guess I just… I don't think I ever thought about my name changing," she admitted, laughing a little at her next words, smiling at Santana, "Even when you proposed."

"Yeah, I guess you  _were_ too dazzled by my cleavage and the huge rock in front of it," Santana conceded faux-chivalrously, laughing and bending away when Rachel lightly slapped her shoulder. "I'm just saying!"

"Be that as it may…" Rachel scooted her chair forward so she could shift, leaning her head onto Santana's shoulder, her hand reaching for Santana's, "I still feel as I do. Just… Give me some time? Maybe? To think about potential last names?  _Other_  than just Berry, I mean, now that I know you want it. It'll be hard, but I'll try."

Santana hmmed. "You'll try?"

Rachel nodded. "I'll try."

"…Okay. But, one thing."

"Yes?"

"When you  _do_  think about Berry-Lopez, I want you to realize that it would be like…" Shifting as well, Santana curled her arm around Rachel's waist, drawing her into her as she lifted her other hand so Rachel would watch it moving in the air before them, "You always getting to be first - in  _anything_. The Berry before the Lopez. And if  _that_  doesn't work…" Santana smiled, pressing her cheek to Rachel's forehead, hugging her, "Just think that  _you'd_  always be ' _very Lop_ _ez_ ' too. And really. How could that be a  _bad_  thing?"

* * *

#90:

In some worlds, it took Santana a long time to move on from Brittany. Still sleeping with the blonde far into their relationship (not to say anything of the feelings she still harbored), it wasn't until Rachel caught her hand, looked up at her, and asked - almost begged - for her to stop seeking pleasure within the blonde's arms, telling her that she could fulfill whatever fantasy Santana could have, that Santana looked at her, studying her and taking stock, and told her she could, at least on a trial basis,  _try_.

(In the end, in some worlds, Rachel happily succeeded. In the other worlds, the sad worlds… She didn't.)


	10. Chapter 10

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #91:

(Referencing my story [Puck's Epic Plan](https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6832994/1/Puck-s-Epic-Plan) on FFNet)

Much to Santana and Rachel's chagrin, Puck and Brittany's plan worked. It was underhanded, and it might have transpired differently than Puck and Brittany had hoped, but it happened. Santana and Rachel never talk about it, and they never plan on it happening again, but they  _do_ take much of the credit for Brittany and Puck finally becoming an official couple.

(Tumblr tags: remember back in the old old days, when puck/brittany, was the THING if rachel and santana got together?, then it slowly turned into brittany/quinn, when people started writing more 'unholy trinity' flavored fics, and not just brittany and santana flavored fics, as the show went on and the characters evolved, (and devolved some might say), god i feel old in this fandom sometimes..., XD, what the hell, i have nothing to lose posting this rptotd)

* * *

#92:

When Rachel showed up to junior year with bangs, Santana practically stopped and stared in the hallway, the tips of her fingers itching to rake through the fringe and push them up and back, moving through the strands of hair.

(Tumblr tags: it was only brittany's pinky in hers, pulling forward, that urged her back into motion, and away from the distracting - and disturbing - thoughts)

* * *

#93:

Rachel bending over in her yoga pants at six AM in the morning as Santana gets home from an overnight shift at the diner is  _totally_  to blame for Kurt's antique coat rack breaking itself against the floor.

(Tumblr tags: the coat rack fell over by itself, freak earthquake, ANYTHING except santana tripping and knocking it over, swear)

* * *

#94:

Seeing as glee club was the first time Rachel ever saw the Cheerios in plainclothes - first for competitions and performances, then after they quit - she wasn't prepared for the sheer visceral reaction The Unholy Trinity would inspire within her. She really should have, though, seeing as the girls in their Cheerio uniforms alone was still a persisting, exciting sight. Fortunately, she managed her best not to let the thoughts overwhelm her or become obvious.

…Until her Train Wreck Extravaganza. Having an extremely attractive in her drunken anger Quinn, a dancing shirtless Brittany, and an intoxicated, horny Santana yelling at her that she wanted her, she did, it's no wonder Rachel (for the first time in her life under the influence and very, very lonely after Finn rejected her -  _again_ ) found herself hanging off of and dancing with not only Brittany but a seemingly interested Santana - - so seemingly interested, in fact, that Rachel's alcohol-fueled brain was trying, for the first time, to figure out if she should invite the amazingly hot in civilian clothes girl up to her room…

* * *

#95:

Honestly, Santana didn't think it was fair how sexy Rachel was once you got her out of her animal sweaters and Mary Janes.

(Tumblr tags: there was a reason she didn't add her short skirts and, knee high socks to that getting-rachel-out-of list, because those..., those were hot, and did AMAZING things with rachel's already endless legs, (PERHAPS to kind of go along with yesterday's rptotd?))

* * *

#96:

"If you were expecting me to be any part of a monogamous affair," Santana said into the mirror, watching herself reapply her lip balm, "Then you were sadly mistaken." She straightened, dark eyes flicking to meet Rachel's gaze. "I'm  _actually_ surprised you didn't know better."

* * *

#97:

Rachel traced along Santana's nose before moving to her cheek, her fingertips sliding along the defined line.

Santana's lips turned up. "You trying to tickle me?" she asked, keeping her eyes closed.

Exhaling a laugh, Rachel gazed down at her, shivering as her hair fell down her bare shoulder at the motion. "No," she smiled, continuing her exploration by stroking along Santana's jawline.

When Rachel didn't go on, Santana hmmed, turning her head to quickly press her lips against Rachel's fingers. The giggle that got her made her open her eyes, and she smiled directly into a warm gaze, rolling over to curl her arm around Rachel's waist and pull her back under the covers with her. "That's better," she sighed, tangling their naked legs together, her hand sliding down Rachel's back; she smirked, "Now, are you gonna tell me what you were doing? Or am I gonna have to tease it out of you?"

Rachel pressed her hand to Santana's chest, resting it there, her fingers curling in as the girl helpfully inhaled. "No," she repeated, lifting her hand to draw it up Santana's collarbone and neck, brushing dark, curly bangs from Santana's forehead. She couldn't stop smiling.

"So…"

"I'm happy."

Santana's eyes softened. Her smirk gentled into a real, affectionate smile, and she leaned forward to press her lips to Rachel's, kissing her softly. Moving away just enough to take in Rachel's smile, she pulled her closer, and kissed her again.

When Santana finally let the kiss end, Rachel giggled again, her fingers falling to trace one of Santana's dimples that was now on full display. "Well?" she asked, almost expectantly, her tone barely hesitant.

Santana grinned, affectionately rolling her eyes, pecking Rachel's lips once more before abruptly pushing up and over her. Feeling the bed covers fall to her waist as she waited for Rachel to finish the gasp she started as her back hit the bed, Santana laid more of her weight on her, pushing her hips in between her legs. "Me too."

Rachel's arms settled around her neck, pulling her more solidly down onto her. "You too, what?" she persisted, pretending to be indignant.

Santana slid her hands down Rachel's hips and thighs, helping wrap her legs around her so their bodies pressed more firmly into each other. Humming contentedly at the warmth she felt, she smiled and kissed Rachel again.

Rachel's thumb brushed along her dimple again, her eyes incredibly warm. "What?"

Santana returned the tender look, pressing her cheek into the touch; her lips kissed Rachel's palm as she spoke. "I'm happy, too."

(Tumblr tags: here, have some sap, i have no excuse, :})

* * *

#98:

Rachel leaned in to kiss her.

"Whoah, hey!" Santana backpedaled, leaning back, her hand slapping against Rachel's chin, stopping her an inch away. When Rachel's eyebrows drew together, the girl's mouth opening to protest, Santana shook her head. She pressed the tips of her fingers to Rachel's lips. "Stop. I don't needs you makin' good with me because you think you have to. Not this way. That's not how I do."

Rachel sat back on the hospital bed, frowning. "Because I think I have to?"

"Yeah. You know." Santana cleared her throat, trying to smirk but only managed a quirk of her lips, "I saved you." She raised her left arm, showing off the long bandage wrapped around it before gesturing at her body under the blankets, where more bandages lay. She didn't keep her arm up long, though; she was still rattled. It was hard to keep herself unaffected and on point. "Took a knife for you. Hell, knight in shining armor'ed you, like I'm sure you waxed poetic to anyone who could hear you."

"When I wasn't crying and having a panic attack in the waiting room, you mean." Rachel's expression was inscrutable.

Santana rolled her eyes. "Yeah. That."

"Santana…" Sighing, Rachel raised her hand to her nose, sliding it up to rub her forehead, then down her cheek. "While I am grateful,  _immeasurably_  grateful that you were around to stop that…  _Man_ ," the word was the most distasteful word to have ever been spoken from Rachel's mouth, echoing in the air before Rachel's other hand suddenly scrambled for Santana's, her fingers cold as they wrapped around hers, "I am also grappling with the realization that it's because of  _me_  you were… Injured."

"Berry…"

"You were  _bleeding_  all over him, Santana!  _For so long_  before Puck showed up and took over so Sam could roll you off him and add pressure to your wounds. I was too busy  _hyperventilating_ to  _do_  anything!"

Santana squeezed her hand. She didn't need to hear this. She remembered it. " _Rachel_."

Shaking her head and sniffing back the tears that had gathered, Rachel nodded, using the back of her other hand to brush along her nose. "My point," she inhaled deeply, meeting Santana's eyes again, "Is that if I hadn't wanted to do this  _before_  you 'became my knight in shining armor', I would be too guilt ridden to do more than thank you and, as I'm sure you would describe it, 'smother' you with perpetual volunteerism." Her lips pursed. "Certainly not  _that_ kind of assistance. While I am sex positive, that does not include that particular trait. Who do you think I am?"

Leaning back against her pillow, trying to nonchalantly brush off the burning in her side and arm, Santana looked up at the ceiling. Of course Rachel had to do this  _now_ , when she felt weak and disgusting.

When Santana didn't answer soon enough for Rachel's liking, she started fidgeting. When she pulled slightly at her hand, Santana's fingers flexing in response, the girl started, letting go and pulling back. In her peripheral, Santana could see her drawing in on herself, probably already kicking herself.

Santana closed her eyes, sighing. "Come back after I've had a bath," she stated, turning her head towards Rachel, her hair catching on the pillow, "I'm tired, and you're eating into my possible pain medication affected sleep time." Blinking her eyes open in time to catch Rachel reaching forward to gently fix the snarl, the girl focused completely on her, Santana studied her. "Berry."

"Oh. Right." Patting Santana's hair after fixing it, Rachel nodded. She stood, picking up her coat to lay it over her arm. She pushed her hair behind her ear. "So when should I-?"

"Tomorrow." Santana turned her head back up, resettling her body to be as comfortable as she could make it. She had just closed her eyes again when rustling and a step made her open them just as Rachel's lips touched her cheek. "B-Berry! Hey!"

Straightening, Rachel gave her a shy, real smile. "Thank you, Santana. I'm so glad you're…" Her hand pressed into Santana's again. "Well, I'm glad you're going to be okay." Her voice sounded watery again, but she managed to hold it back long enough to finish with an emotionally thick, "Have a good evening."

Throwing something out in answer that hopefully didn't convey off-kilter bluster, Santana waited until the door closed behind Rachel to start working through everything.

It took a while. But in the end, she was left with two things.

One: Rachel was one of the factors responsible for her being in that hospital bed.

And two: Santana exhaled into the still air. "Had wanted to do this before, huh?"

(Tumblr tags: santana didn't set out to get in between rachel and the robber, hell if she had gone and stopped for coffee at the first cafe, she'd past like she'd initially planned to, she wouldn't have been a couple of steps behind her when the guy stepped in front of rachel, already bitching the guy out, trying to intimidate him, santana had had no reason to suspect that her motion of reaching out, to jerk the frozen stiff rachel - hands clenching even harder around her purse the, more the guy yelled at her to let go - back so they could run, would suggest to the man that she was making a move to attack, until white hot pain slashed along her arm and she was stumbling back into rachel, shoving her away while doing her best to remember sue's forced self defense certification, (don't blame me - i was in the middle of my fourth new rptotd draft, when this came to me, well - the bare bones of it, as always it grew and demanded to be more involved XD))

* * *

#99:

Courtesy of guest thinker [images-in-words](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/5576571/images-in-words):

In a world where it was Rachel and Santana that hooked up at Will and Emma's disastrous first attempt at a wedding:

Life back at the loft in NYC gets a whole lot more interesting for Rachel and Santana when the former high school antagonists embark on a relationship.

* * *

#100:

Santana 'oofed!' when a small body jumped onto her shins. Before she could snap up, Rachel's hands slapped onto her shoulders, stopping her.

"Wait!" the girl hissed at her, somehow commanding while at the same time under her breath, "Don't kick him off!"

" _Him_? What the fu-!"

Santana exhaled violently out of her nose when Rachel clamped her hand over her mouth, shushing her with a, "Don't  _scare_ him off, either!"

Glaring at her, but now free to angle one of her shoulders up, pushing her elbow under her, Santana looked past Rachel to identify  _what_ was wriggling up her thighs. She gasped.

"You didn't tell me you had a  _puppy_!" she exclaimed, ducking under Rachel's hand to sit up. Scooping up the small English bulldog happily about to bite a slat of her Cheerio skirt, Santana plopped him in her lap, crossing her legs to make a suitable platform. "And a bulldog. Didn't think you had it in you, Berry."

"English bulldog," Rachel smiled. "Thank you for not kicking him off. My bed's already pretty tall, so any more height could have hurt him."

Santana cupped the puppy's small barrel chest, her other hand scritching between his ears. "How did he even get up here? And, please don't tell me his name's Jean Valjean."

The puppy snuffled Santana's palm, licking it, his little butt wiggling.

Rachel's cheeks pinkened, either with embarrassment or indignity. "Fiyero."

"Fiyero!" Santana laughed.

"And there's a ramp." Rachel pointed towards the end of her bed. "He can't manage stairs yet."

"Yeah, considering he's the size of a pygmy mouse." Turning her head, grinning at Rachel, Santana jabbed her shoulder out towards her. "I'm surprised you actually let him on your bed."

Rachel looked at her. "I let you on here, didn't I?"

"Hey!"

Smiling, Rachel leaned forward, petting Fiyero's head. "I love his little rolls," she commented, stroking the one above his nose.

Santana hummed, nodding. "Yeah, he's a pudgy little thing. When did you get him?"

At that, Rachel beamed proudly, and, ignoring Santana's protest, picked Fiyero up to pull him back and cradle him in her arms. "Last week. But he already knows his name, don't you?" she cooed down at the puppy eagerly wiggling to get a tongue or nose on her chin, "Fiyero. Such a good puppy."

"Normally I'd shudder at the thought of hearing Rachel Berry make baby speak," Santana smirked, shifting closer to get a better angle to scratch Fiyero's chin, "But I'll let it go this time."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "How kind of you."

"I try." When Rachel's phone on the bedside table went off, Santana grinned, motioning for Rachel to hand Fiyero to her. "Gimme!"

Hesitating, then sighing dramatically, Rachel held Fiyero out… Only to plop him onto her bed in between them, his stubby legs bowing for just a second before he got his bearings. And immediately scrambled to Santana, who's body was nearest him. Laughing at Rachel's pout, Santana let him thwump against her knee, the puppy dropping and rolling over so she could rub his belly. "Oh yeah," she praised, "Handsome little boy. You know who's got the goods."

Huffing under her breath, Rachel reached over for her phone. "Enjoy him while you can. We're going to have to put him out soon, mmn," she straightened, pushing her hair over her shoulder, "So we can concentrate on our report."

"Boo." Picking Fiyero up and pressing him against her cheek, laughing as his small tongue swiped along her cheekbone, then groaning and moving him away when he made to lick her mouth next, she placed him back onto her lap. "We don't need to do that. He won't be distracting."

Rachel raised her eyebrows pointedly, hiding a smirk when Fiyero yawned, Santana's attention reflexively drawn back to him.

The Cheerio shifted, rolling her eyes. "Fine, fine." She squished Fiyero's head between her hands, massaging his ears back and forth, like one last cuddle.

"Come here." Putting her hands out, coaxing Fiyero to excitedly stumble out of Santana's lap, snuffling at her and arfing excitedly as Rachel slid off the bed to carry him to her door, Rachel kissed the top of his head before setting him outside her door, patting him, "Sorry, honey, but we need to do some homework," and closed the door quickly but slowly enough so she didn't accidentally close it on him.

Rachel had only made it a step back towards the bed and her desk and their homework, when whining started up in earnest. She stopped, took another step, stopped again when Fiyero whined again, and scowled at Santana's deeply smug look. "Fiyero," she called.

The whining quieted.

Rachel nodded. When she reached for her textbook left open on the bed, a soft thump followed by more whining started up. She wavered.

"What'cha gonna do, Berry?" Santana smirked at her, picking up her book that had slid to the side; she made preparations as if to retake her spot lounging on the mattress.

Rachel narrowed her eyes at her, then flinched when another whine sounded. "I really must teach him good manners…" she said, as if convincing herself.

"Mmhm." Raising her eyebrows, Santana found her place in the book again. "What if he starts scratching?"

Rachel gasped. "Fiyero wouldn't do that!"

Santana quirked her eyebrows, looking at the door as another 'thump!' sounded, as if Fiyero, figuring his puppy cries weren't working, was now trying to nose his way inside. The cheerleader sighed, almost long-sufferingly. "Don't your dads have an open door policy?" she asked.

"What? I - I mean, yes?"

Santana looked at her.

Blinking, opening her mouth, Rachel stopped in the act of starting to shake her head. "Oh! Open door policy. " Her face brightened. "I wouldn't be giving in. Just following my fathers' rules. You're right. You just have to  _promise_  we'll get our work done." Barely waiting for Santana's rolled eyes agreement to spin back around towards the door, Rachel paused, turning back to face Santana again. "Though I want to make sure that you don't feel like your identity as a lesbian is the only reason why that rule might be enforced. My fathers like me to have my door open even when I have other, non-potential 'love-interests' over."

" _Berry_." Santana picked up one of Rachel's pillows, throwing it at her face. " _Stop_. I'm gonna  _gag_ if you keep so much as lumping me as someone with the  _potential_  of wantin' in your pants." She went ahead and fake gagged anyway, making a face, "So shuts up and let Roly Poly back in already."

The moment Rachel opened the door, Fiyero eagerly pushed his way in, jumping at her feet. His little tail wagging, upending his back legs' sense of balance, didn't stop him from trying to wiggle his way into Rachel's hands before they could wrap around him first.

Santana sat up. "See, no more whining. Now bring 'im here."

"That's hardly a conducive way to convince me you'll be able to concentrate," Rachel smiled, easily avoiding Santana's hands as she walked past her to take a seat at her desk, resting Fiyero on her knees.

As if in agreement, the little bulldog snuffled, nomming her hand.

Narrowing her eyes, Santana snatched her book up. "Just you wait. He'll soon get tired of your knobby knees and comes back to me." She smirked. "No one can stay away."

"I applaud your confidence, but for now he's staying right here," Rachel answered, not sounding sorry at all. And with that, ignoring the cheerleader's assertion that she  _always_  got to see Fiyero whenever she wanted, Rachel slowly began rotating her desk chair so she faced her desk and computer again. Rubbing her hand softly but steadily along Fiyero's back to calm him, she succeeded in him only letting out a soft noise and yawn instead of trying to wriggle off her when she inched her legs under it.

Lying back on the bed, Santana rolled her eyes, shaking her head. "He wanted my legs first," she muttered. "He'll be back."

Rachel smiled humoringly, switching which hand to pet Fiyero so she could pick up her mouse again. "You're a handsome boy, aren't you?" she whispered down at him, 'awwing' as he yawned in response, his puppy energy spent already. "Yes you are," she finished, rubbing the roll above his nose.

Behind her, Santana groaned. "Gross. Rachel Berry baby speak again." Finding her place in her book again and picking up her notebook in preparation of taking more notes, she paused. "But, for the  _second_ time, I'll be  _extremely_ charitable and let it go." She smirked. "But only because of the Roly Poly. Not you."

Rachel hummed neutrally. "Thank you, Santana."

Resettling himself on Rachel's lap, nudging himself back under her hand, Fiyero let out a thank you snuffle-sigh of his own, too.

And behind her book, Santana smiled.

(Tumblr tags: i could not do my 100th rptotd without little baby fiyero in it!, :D, can you guys believe this is the 100th one?, wow i worked on this damn thing for almost twelve hours, straight, twelve hours straight, but i finished it yay!)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, I modified some of my entries in a game I play on tumblr with lightbluenymphadora for my random thoughts of the day (knowing not everyone follows my tumblr and may not have seen them). The basis of the game, titled Titles, is where a person is given a title, and has to write a summary to go along with that title. It's both exciting and bittersweet because it gives so many possibilities and feels even knowing there's little chance you're actually going to write it. Anyway, I shared some of my favorites within, with the title I was given for each RPTOTD given in the Tumblr tags so you can see what the inspiration was. :}

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #101:

In a world where the hotel The New Directions were staying in during Nationals bordered one of New York's wealthiest banks:

During their last night in New York, Rachel, having been doing a lot of thinking and fretting over her and Finn's onstage kiss, ended up taking a wrong turn while wandering the hotel. Coming upon an international group of thieves in the process of breaking into the bank through the hotel's boiler room, she somehow managed to talk long enough to distract and escape - but only after being able to identify the gang. As all exits were blocked, she was forced to run back up into the hotel, where the first person she tried to tell to call the police was shot and killed in front of her. Getting more and more terrified and frantic, knowing she couldn't stop, she ended up physically running into Santana on her hotel room floor, and before Santana, still upset from the loss could chew her out, Rachel had clamped her hand on her wrist, pulled her into her room, and locked the door just as thundering boots clattered to a stop in front of it. One thing she hadn't prepared for, however, was the thieves having access to a universal key card, and before she could do anything more than grab her phone and shove it into her pocket, she had pushed Santana out the window just in time. Somehow, they made it around the building on balconies and ledges, only to come upon a broken fire escape that put them back into the thick of the danger. Still, before they stayed sitting ducks outside, Rachel managed to make a phone call to the police. Only, it wasn't any guarantee she and Santana could keep ahead of the thieves long enough until they were safe. Caught in a deadly game of cat and mouse, it was amazing what two petrified girls would do to survive - and what they ended up talking out.

(Tumblr tags: from the titles entry The Greatest Escape, i'm starting with one of my favorite titles entries, oh god and i had to make everything past tense, i wish i could wriiiiiiiiite thiiiiiiissss)

* * *

#102:

Rachel prided herself with being a member of every club at William McKinley High. She participated in everything and attended every meeting she could, normally resigned to the fact that she had no one she truly knew in each club that was not glee. Therefore, in junior year, when the mock trial club held its "before trial season planning session", she was absolutely shocked to see Santana, grumbling and glaring at everyone, stalk in. As it turned out, the girl had been conscripted to join by Sue, the mock trial club's new coach, and oh do the two girls suddenly have a new rivalry to get passionate about.

(Tumblr tags: sue gets entirely too much enjoyment about pitting them against each other any chance she can get, and makes new chances any time she can get too, from titles entry Insufficient Evidence)

* * *

#103:

In a world where Moonlight, Lima's newest 16+ club had just opened its doors:

Featuring a revolving lineup of the best singers and bands from the area, it didn't take long for a few performers to stand out. Including The New Directions members and some talented outliers, it wasn't until Dani LaCroix that Rachel Berry, Moonlight's self-proclaimed star act, started to feel threatened. Dani, a recent transplant from New Orleans, was altogether too charming and confident and Rachel couldn't help but get drawn to her. Though she swore it was all in the name of musical rivalry, Santana Lopez, Rachel's best friend, fellow Moonlight performer, and recently realized hopeful girlfriend, was not enthused.

(Tumblr tags: all she had to do was run dani off, win rachel's heart, and secure her her top spot before it was too late, easy right?, from titles entry In the World of the Moonlight)

* * *

#104:

And When the Snow Fell…

…You Were There To Pick Me Up. Santana had been down for a very long time, and no one seemed to be noticing. So when the Christmas of junior year came around, with all the glee "gleek" crap and everyone seeming happy except her, she was about ready to throw it all away. That's when Rachel, feeling heartbreak of her own, stumbled into Santana's life. Her life suddenly full of Christmas carols and annoying distracting holiday cheer, Santana found, for the first time, someone who might be able to truly see her - and someone she might be able to truly see, too.

(Tumblr tags: from titles entry And When the Snow Fell..., seriously who gets tired of reading fics like this?, not me that's for sure!, :D)

* * *

#105:

In a world where Santana pissed of the bastard son of a demon from the fifth level of hell:

If someone had ever told Santana that she would inadvertently piss off the bastard son of a demon from the fifth level of hell, she would have laughed and told them they had overdosed on too much Sunday School. Trouble was, now she had. Even more trouble was, the only one who might be able to figure out how to get her out of her new fight to keep her soul was Rachel, who happened to be the daughter of a retired Demon Hunter. Now all Santana had to figure out was which was worse: losing her immortal soul, or having to depend on  _Berry_ to save it.

(Tumblr tags: from titles entry Ungodly Forces, can you believe this is my first *truly* AU rptotd?, this one would be a fun one to write too)

* * *

#106:

All Rachel knew was that the slushies and name calling stopped. At first she assumed it was Finn's doing, only for him to deny it when asked. Then, having to rationalize and work through that her popular boyfriend hadn't done anything to stop the bullying that he easily could have, Rachel tried to figure out who it  _could_ have been - because goodness knew it would have been too much wishful thinking to believe it had stopped on its own, or because of rising stature. Finally, having to concede that there was no way she was going to find out, the other gleeks knowing nothing more than she did and a healthy sense of self preservation keeping her from accruing the wrath of Santana, Brittany, and Quinn, she resolved to just appreciate the break.

Eventually, years later, Brittany spilled the beans. "Mmhm," she nodded, taking some of the artichoke dip Tina had brought to the New Directions annual meet-up, "Yeah, San called them off." She slipped her spoon into her mouth, cleaning it, "Back in junior year."

Rachel stared at her. Her… Girlfriend of almost two years… Had called off the slushies? And, perhaps more importantly,  _never told her_? She had to balance herself, looking out across the room to where, smiling and laughing, Santana was talking to Mike and Mercedes.

Brittany giggled, coming up next to her. "You look like you've fallen in love with her completely all over again," she commented, "And it's confused you."

"Because I have," Rachel smiled, that smile brightening as Santana caught her eye, smiling at her before making her excuses to start walking over, "And I have to admit it has. At least a little."

(Tumblr tags: and when she kissed santana hello, stepping into her and wrapping her arms around her shoulders to pull her closer, santana kissed her back, laughing and grinning at her when she pulled back, 'hey babe. hello to you too', and 'hi' rachel smiled at her, slipping her hands into hers, 'you just continue to surprise me', looking at brittany who only grinned santana shrugged and smiled down at rachel, 'it's what i do', 'yeah' rachel nodded turning to tuck her arm into santana's, squeezing her bicep and leaning into her 'it's what you do')

* * *

#107:

In a world where Santana's a songwriter and DJ working in Los Angeles, and Rachel's a Broadway star living in New York:

Rachel's been in a bit of a slump due to a slew of bad press and intimate upheaval out of her control, so Santana's friend, Mercedes, one of Rachel's old roommates and a Top 40 artist in her own right, gives Rachel Santana's card, telling her she's the perfect person to revitalize Rachel's image and career. However, after their initial meeting ends in butting heads and sparks flying, one thing's for sure - nothing will be the same for Santana and Rachel again. (Smugly, Mercedes gets  _all_  the bragging rights when she gives the Maid of Honor speech at their wedding a couple of years later.)

(Tumblr tags: from titles entry Bringing the Beat Back, who doesn't love aus like this either?, :D)

* * *

#108:

In a world where, on the day of Santana's 12 birthday party, Santana's best friend, Brittany S. Pierce, was found dead in the bouncy castle the Lopez family had rented:

It was a huge mess, full of scandal and suspicion, first on Santana's father, then brother, then an unknown, the whole thing ultimately made worse by being left unsolved. But the court of popular opinion was cruel, and Santana grew up with the weight of guilt shining on her family. Her family fractured, her heart shuttered, and she was never able to properly morn the incredible young girl that had been her first friend.

Fast forward five years, and Santana was now the Head Bitch in Charge of McKinley High, untouchable and angry as suspicion hung around her wherever she went. Enter Rachel Berry, newly moved back to town, and suddenly Santana had someone willing to get to know her and pull down her walls, a proverbial light in the darkness. Only, as Santana and Rachel got closer, things began to stir up once again in Brittany's murder case, and even as Santana held tighter onto Rachel, she started to get the feeling that Rachel and her family knew more about the circumstances of Brittany's death than they were letting on.

(Tumblr tags: from titles entry The Bouncing House, this is another one that i'd love to be able to write, but i'm not sure i'm equipped to do it justice, i feel guilty about killing brittany too)

* * *

#109:

Courtesy of guest thinker [lightblue_Nymphadora](http://archiveofourown.org/users/lightblue_Nymphadora):

_Best Thing That Could Happen_

They started playing during their junior years of college. Santana at Columbia, and Rachel at NYADA, their days were hectic, and it was a fun way to relax. And it was easy - didn't require any thought at all. All you had to do was answer the question, "What's the best thing that could happen right now." They'd had some fun ones.

"The dance director decides to add three more shows to our schedule, and Markus bakes apple biscuits for us again."

"Tomorrow when I walk in to the office for my internship, they've left a file with a proper social media campaign for me to work on."

"Idina Menzel visits and cries tears of utter joy when I sing for her."

"Double ply toilet paper at school would be nice."

That night, as they were settling in for bed, Santana kissed Rachel's shoulder and said, "We should play Best Thing. You go first."

"I don't know," Rachel said as Santana got into bed beside her. "I graduated last week. You graduate in three days. We'll both be happily employed in two months. You said yes to a puppy -"

"I said MAYBE," Santana corrected with a smirk.

"Best thing that could happen… Quinn invites us out to London with her, and you two go with me on an epic castle tour of England."

"Hmmm… I like it."

"Your turn," Rachel said, nudging her.

"Best thing that could happen for me? You say yes."

Rachel furrowed her brow. "Say yes to what?"

Santana turned to her nightstand and opened the drawer, pulling out a ring box. "Rachel, will you marry me?"

(Tumblr tags: it's so flufffffffffyyyyy!, and i love that it makes total sense in accordance with their life trajectories, and where they're going and what have set up for themselves, i love it, love it love it love it, :D)

* * *

#110:

Walking into the music room in a huff, angry face easing at the sight of her, Rachel headed directly to Santana, plopped down onto her lap, and wrapped her arms around her sides.

Santana reciprocated the hug as Rachel's face pressed into her neck.

"Hello," Rachel mumbled.

Santana shifted her knees under Rachel, giving them a more solid base. "Hey," she squeezed her, "Who do I have to go Snix on?"

A small smile pressed against her throat. "No one," Rachel sighed, "Or at least I hope not. I'm annoyed at myself."

"Why?"

Rachel groaned, leaning more of her weight into Santana, who easily supported her. "Can you just hold me and support me by telling me I'm going to be a star and the youngest EGOT winner in history?" she almost whined.

Santana chuckled, shaking her head and pulling Rachel tighter into her. "You really don't needs me to say that to make it true, but sure," she kissed Rachel's head, "Since I'll get the problem out of your later, I'll humor you now. You, Rachel Barbra Berry, my girlfriend and drama queen supreme…"

" _Hey_."

"…Are going to be, not just  _a_  star, but  _the_  star, and the youngest EGOT winner in history." Santana smiled. "Along with a  _whole_  lot'a other awesome things."

Small arms wrapped tighter around Santana, Rachel smiling into her throat again. "Thank you."

Santana squeezed her again. "No problem, babe."


	12. Chapter 12

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #111:

Santana fully expected Rachel was going to be in charge of glee club photos, so when she saw the picture of her and the girl holding hands in the photo for glee club in the yearbook, she  _immediately_ cornered the girl in the music room.

(Tumblr tags: is anyone else still so overjoyed that that pic was made canon?)

* * *

#112:

In Santana and Rachel's junior year, someone paid the operator in charge of the Allen County Fair Ferris wheel a hundred dollars to make a certain Ferris wheel car stay on top - an operating "failure" that couldn't be fixed for quite some time. Rachel and Santana, having been shoved into the car two under it by their friends, were some of the collateral victims.

(Tumblr tags: this would make an AMAZING story prompt, anyone out there want to tackle it?, :D)

/

And here's a bonus add-on ficlet by [pauladeroma](http://www.pauladeroma.tumblr.com/)!:

_Santana was furious, and as soon as theu fixed this "failure", she would go kill a certain blonde (this had to be Quinn's idea) for sticking her noise in things that were none of her business. But she would worry about it lates, because right now, she was quite busy nipping Rachel's plump bottom lip… (Okay, maybe she could thank Quinn after she killed her)_

* * *

#113:

"No, Santana! Finn is staring at us."

Raising her eyes, away from the pink color that was Rachel's cheek, Santana sneered at the boy lounging stiffly behind the drum set. "So?" she pushed, her hand hot and heavy on Rachel's waist, her other sliding around Rachel's hand already on her upper arm; holding it solidly, fingers curling around the outside of Rachel's palm, she allowed Finn's glare to fuel her practically ribald smile.

Letting out a puff of air, Rachel turned her chin; finding purchase below Santana's, if only for a second, she scratched her nails along Santana's bare arm. "I guess," she admitted, "I'm just not ready."

"For?"

Pushing back, meeting Santana's eyes before swirling away, darting to take in the rest of the choir room she could see without completely swiveling around, the smaller girl took a fluid step away.

Santana frowned at her. Instead of mirroring her action or following her, however, she moved backwards, the top of her calves hitting the chair behind her. "Whatever," she sniped, crossing her arms and dropping to take the seat, legs crossing and further removing herself from Rachel's space.

Rachel stared down at her. Looking back and forth between the cheerleader and the quarterback, her lower lip got caught between her teeth.

(Tumblr tags: i finally started going through my prompts and bits doc, amazing what i find!)

* * *

#114:

Busy sorting the contents of her locker by day and period, Rachel's quiet humming of the latest song she was planning to perform for glee club was almost enough to keep herself oblivious of what was happening down the hall. However, the social climate being what McKinley High fostered it to be, even the slightest change in atmosphere made sure she was turning to take stock if she was in danger of being slushied or not. So, looking towards the disturbance, Rachel's glib humming sputtered out into a shocked exhalation.

Neon green, bony plates sticking down along their back, followed by a heavy-looking tail, and topped off by the most clumsy looking clawed gloves and intricate head encompassing mask attached by a zipper down the belly, who was someone utterly unrecognizable was bearing down on her.

Rachel flattened herself back against her locker, praying the dinosaur would just power walk past her.

She didn't.

" _Berry_!" Santana's voice filtered out through the mesh installed into the dinosaur's sharp-toothed, open mouth, a thick spongy claw jutting into her sternum, "It's  _your_ turn to wear this next." And the dinosaur turned and power walked away, her tail hitting Rachel's ankle on the withdraw.

Rachel stared at her bony-plated receding back. " _What_?"

(Tumblr tags: what's happening?, i don't know, i really can't remember the scenarios that lead up some of these prompts and bits sadly, XD)

* * *

#115:

*referencing a gif of a pure white cat jumping onto and against a toddler boy as he runs into the room, bouncing off his face before landing out of frame as the boy falls to the ground, shocked and stunned*

It was their new cat and their not-so-new son. Rachel had wanted an older cat, one who would benefit from a new family (and feed her altruistic ego). She was a quiet kitty, but Santana hadn't missed the sparkle in her eyes.

"It's nothing," Rachel had reassured her, "She's just happy to have us!"

"Right," Santana replied, scratching under the kitty's chin, "We'll see."

(Of course it wouldn't have mattered anyway because Trenton had fallen for her immediately.)

Cake, however, took a while to warm up to him. (Yes, that's an Adventure Time reference. Santana enjoyed watching it with her son, so what? It was an awesome show!) Hence Cake's game of pouncing on Trenton at the weirdest moments possible.

If Cake had used her claws, there would have been a problem, but after Trent had stopped crying from surprise the first time, he'd looked up at his moms with his shiny innocent eyes, a wide gappy smile crossing his face, and burbled happily, "She thinks I'm a cat!"

It was really only logic a young kid could have, but Santana had to admit it was pretty bad-ass, and she'd long ago learned how to handle her wife. So handle her she did, with lots of kisses and hugs and dropping Trenton off at his uncle Kurt's house, so eventually Rachel had given in to a wait and see attitude. She never could say no to her wife and son after all (not to mention she was the one who'd originally picked out Cake, too).

And Cake? Well, Cake and Trent never stopped their game. It was their thing. Even after Cake had settled in to being the newest member of the Berry-Lopez household, and settled in to sleeping at the foot of Trenton Berry-Lopez's bed.

(Tumblr tags: i don't write about kids much, but every so often pezberry kids, (and their pets!), make me go awwww, trenton berry-lopez, (because who knows if i'll ever not use him again) ((also when i transcribe this to the collection i'm going to have fun with no gif XD))

* * *

#116:

Rachel had a long history of using jealousy to fuel her actions, for it to be the reason why she did things. After finding out that her boyfriend had lied to her about losing his virginity the year before, her first impulse had been to fall into his best friend's arms and ask him to help her make them equal. But when that didn't pan out as she had hoped, Puck finding some last minute nobility, she figured maybe that was a sign that she should just let it lie. That she and Finn would be fine, that that lie wouldn't tear them apart.

But she was wrong.

Now left alone and broken, Finn's words echoing in her ears, her spite and jealousy flared up.  _No_. This wasn't  _her_ fault. She had been made a fool of. Finn and Santana and everyone else had been in on this huge joke while she'd been blindly performing for them and providing laughs. It wasn't  _right_.

So, two days later, Rachel went to the other person in the equation: Santana.

(Tumblr tags: to rail at her, to accuse her, to fall at her feet crying and asking why santana always took what was hers..., rachel didn't know, she was just going to see her - everything else be damned, (here have another scrap starter that ended up going nowhere, woo, maybe someone else could nurture this and make it something?, *grins shrugs*, who knows?, :D))

* * *

#117:

"Yes."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you are obnoxiously tiny with a big nose and I have a sideshow-freak free body."

"Do you ever get tired of making fun of me?"

"Hell no. It's like my national pastime."

(Tumblr tags: i loves me my dialogue only schtuffs, :D, another find out of my prompts and bits doc)

* * *

#118:

It was second period, time for Brittany to check on the mouse family in the janitor's closet. Or maybe that was fourth period? Lunch? Brittany shrugged. Whatever time it was, she knew they'd show up anyway because she'd bought ice cream on the way to school.

But when she walked up to the closet, the carton of ice cream in her hands squishy and warm, her eyes grew wide when a loud moan issued from inside. She  _knew_ that voice… Placing her hand onto the doorknob, she turned it.

A squeal, echoed by another, and the door, along with two bodies, tumbled into Brittany. She fell.

"Oh my  _god_!" Rachel jerked, fighting her way out from under Santana's body and pushing a hand into Brittany's stomach, making her 'oof!', hands to her ass as she jumped up. "What did I  _land_ on?"

Brittany groaned, rubbing the back of her head. She looked down at her chest, where the mouse family's meal was now squished and leaking all over her. "No! You owe me more ice cream!"

"Which we'll get you, B," Santana assured her, groaning as she pushed herself up and leaning down to give her best friend a hand up. "God. That was fun.  _Not_."

Rachel huffed. "You told me you locked the door," she said, trying to ignore the ice cream seeping through her skirt, pushing her hair back from her face and patting it down.

Rolling her eyes, Santana wrapped her hand around Rachel's wrist, starting to tug her down the hallway. "I thought I had. Blame your  _insanely_  short skirt.

"B? I gotta go clean the Berry up," she said over her shoulder, winking, "Come find me later. I'll get you all the ice cream you want, kay?"

Brittany nodded, pouting down at her ice cream. Well… The mouse family could still could lick the carton, couldn't they? And if she left her shirt in there as well, then they could have a mixture of food  _and_  materials to make a nest! Instantly buoyed by that realization, Brittany pulled her shirt over her head. Then, pushing the closet door open, she set the half-full, still leaking carton down onto the floor, making her shirt into a comfy looking nest next to it, ice cream up. There.

Now, to find Puck to get his football jersey from him, she decided, standing up and starting to amble down the hallway in the direction Santana and Rachel had gone. It was fun walking around in that.

It was too bad she'd found out the hard way she couldn't walk around school in just a bra, Brittany sighed. That had been a nice day until Coach Beiste had caught her…

(Tumblr tags: wow is this the first one from someone, who WASN'T santana or rachel's povs?, huh, i can't think back so far so i can't make sure, XD)

* * *

#119:

"You can be  _so_  annoyingly unsurprising."

Rachel pointed at the door. "If you don't like it, you can leave."

" _Rachel_."

Flinching, Rachel abruptly turned on her heel. She shook her head. "No. You know what? No. Not right now. I can't deal with this right now."

"Then  _when_?" Santana exclaimed. She stared at the side of Rachel's face, her eyes narrowing as she waited for the girl to face her again.

Rachel didn't answer. Instead, she yanked open the apartment door, her shoulders set as she waved violently outside. "Door. There.  _Now_."

" _No_." Santana stepped forward, stopping kitty-corner to Rachel. "Berry.  _Rachel_ ," she breathed, "We have to. Now. P…" She trailed off, her shoulders dropping as she exhaled. "…Please."

Rocking backwards, then forwards, Rachel kept her face away even as she, finally, nodded, jerkily and reluctantly, her hands coming up to hug herself as she crossed her arms.

Santana raised her hand, slowly dropping it onto Rachel's shoulder. She flexed, having to momentarily pull to get Rachel to turn around, then flexed again, urging Rachel closer to her, her hand dropping, curling in on itself once she'd achieved her intention. She looked down, taking a deep breath, hand pushing her hair back as moisture pricked behind her eyes. "I'm sorry. I don't want to fight." She smiled sadly. "For once, I know, right? I just…" She forced herself to meet Rachel's eyes. "I don't want to walk out that door and…"

Rachel stared at her. "And, what?"

Santana couldn't stop a sniffle, looking away. "Lose us."

"… _Santana_."

(Tumblr tags: they weren't losing them, but they did need to talk, and santana did need to respect rachel's need for space, while rachel needed to learn how much santana did actually care for her, so she could fully appreciate what it meant to work everything out, and to come out from lumping everything santana had ever done into this fight, that had nothing to do with them, not to say it was rachel's fault, it was a combination of both their faults and santana had a lot to learn too, but it was harder to put her issues into words, aside from letting rachel feel and absorb and be willing to listen how she felt, versus how santana thought she should feel, it was their first fight, it was a bad fight, and most of all it was a vulnerable fight, (random emotions i found in my prompts and bits doc woo!)

* * *

#120:

Since Rachel grew up with few to no female friends, especially during her formative puberty years, when she started getting closer to Santana in junior year, she assumed what she was feeling towards her was natural friendship development. Though she knew sexuality was fluid, and she was open to all possibilities in her future, she'd had no reasonable expectation for deeper feelings to ever grow between her and Santana, or what they would feel like, her prior experience only being Finn and Jesse and Puck. Besides, friendships with females were supposed to be different, weren't they? Closer? More tactile? That's what television and movies had taught her, anyway. So she hugged Santana and hung out with Santana and wanted Santana's attention, feeling good when she smiled at her and complimented her, or interacted with her over anyone else. It was only natural, right? Especially when her stomach would roil and her heart would burn whenever Santana would spend time with Brittany or smile at Brittany or cancel plans with Rachel because of Brittany. That was just because she missed her friend and didn't want Santana to get so wrapped up in the blonde and forget about her. Selfish, maybe, but friendships couldn't always be selfless, especially when she wanted to hold onto hers with two hands. And once she'd gotten past the ex-cheerleader's prickly walls, she was an amazing person. Still prickly, but amazing. She didn't want to give her up for anything.

So everything continued on, and Rachel and Santana's friendship continued deepening, and it was more than Rachel could have expected, having a female friend (and then even more when Brittany and Tina and Mercedes and Quinn, sometimes, came along) - - until the day Santana kissed her, told her she was in love with Santana, asserted they should do something about that, and turned everything Rachel  _thought_ she knew on its head.

(Tumblr tags: so i MAY have planned out a bit of that last scene out, how it would have gone and how it would have been resolved, delightfully, so..., stay tuned perhaps?, :D)


	13. Chapter 13

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #121:

Rachel doesn't know how she's going to make it, waiting for the people in front of her to debark the plane first. She wants to - she  _needs_  to see Santana. Santana, who had somehow gotten the time off to come meet her at the airport, to pick her up, unwilling for any time more to be spent apart. Rachel's heart is pounding, and her hands are sweaty, and she's looking back and forth the moment she gets to baggage claim. There's a sound of someone speaking her name, someone Rachel would normally be happy to meet, to say hi to, to pose for pictures with and already have a pen ready to sign things - except there Santana is. And, barely a thought made to catch up with the person after in the back of her mind, she's running forward, arms outstretched, her shoulder bag tumbling to the floor right as she jumps up and clings to Santana's strong shoulders, crying as she hugs her, Santana's hands automatically supporting her thighs wrapped around her waist. Home. She's home.

(Tumblr tags: an excerpt that i particularly liked from, pauladeroma, and my, firefighter!santana and broadway actress!rachel au)

* * *

#122:

Courtesy of guest thinker [14andtaller-than-elise3auman](https://14andtaller-than-elise3auman.tumblr.com/):

Rachel remembered Santana talking about sticking her fingers down her throat and how she only has Sue's "protein" shakes most of the days. She noticed when Santana would get skinnier towards Cheerios competitions and how she never really indulged in any of the city food while they were out in competitions for glee. But no, of course she had nothing to do with the free meals Santana would get handed to her while the whole club went out to eat together. Or how Santana's locker would have random snacks during the day (healthy ones of course) or the random anonymous texts Santana would receive asking if she ate that day. And, no, Rachel obviously didn't worry about this. And she  _hadn't_  anxiously wondered if it was Santana puking in the restroom's during Nationals in New York. And  _if_  she had, it totally wasn't because she cared about the other girl. She was just… being a nice person.

Well, at least that's what she told herself.

(Of course, Santana was creeped out at first, but she grew to like it after a while and stopped asking [threatening] people if it was them.)

(Tumblr tags: thank you!, i love how rachel takes care of santana even if santana doesn't realize it's her)

* * *

#123:

Rachel winced as the door closed in front of her. "…Oh," she exhaled, her throat closing, tears rising in her eyes as her hands wrung in front of her. "O-oh."

Behind the door, forehead pressed into the wood, Santana didn't let her tears fall from her eyes until Rachel's feet, heavy and slow, trudged away.

* * *

#124:

Even if Santana may have wanted to mend fences and move on and explore what a friendship (or more) could be like with Rachel, in some worlds, Rachel  _never_  got over Santana's "betrayal" with Finn, and stopped everything before it started.

(Tumblr tags: in many of those worlds, santana was devastated, and in some of those worlds, rachel was too)

* * *

#125:

The first time Rachel and Santana found themselves agreeing on something - the knowledge that Mercedes and Tina were a better match to sing a song together than the two performers Mr. Schue had put forth - the two girls stared at each other, huffed, rolled their eyes while shaking their heads, and turned away, arms crossing.

(Tumblr tags: they really WERE too much more alike than preferred)

* * *

#126:

In a world where Rachel got a summer a job at the local Hot Topic:

She was  _very_  surprised to discover that Santana actually spent quite a lot of her time in the shop, doing everything from browsing and idling to buying dresses (for herself) and shirts and merchandise (for her siblings and two other members of The Unholy Trinity, supposedly). When Santana, upon realizing her presence, threatened Rachel to keep her mouth shut, Rachel, feeling cheeky and bold, agreed - but only if Santana would agree to get coffee with her.

(Tumblr tags: now this is a fic i would love to read)

* * *

#127:

For all the times Santana made fun of Rachel, she bit her tongue and swallowed an almost equal amount of compliments.

(Tumblr tags: she had an image to uphold after all, wouldn't do for her to blow it because she wanted to be complimentary or honest, about the girl's singing voice or refusal to be beat down, and besides, the girl still WAS annoying, more than just sometimes, so, yeah, for the most part, it ended up not bothering her much at all)

* * *

#128:

It was  _definitely_ Lord Tubbington and Charity's fault that Rachel and Santana, forced to spend the night together in a tiny bed (due to each cat's insistence that they stay with Brittany), each girl arguing that  _they_  deserved the bed and not the floor, found themselves, upon waking, tangled with each other, face to face, chest to chest, and pounding heart to pounding heart.

(Tumblr tags: all the cheers and huzzahs for brittany's cats!)

* * *

#129:

In the summer between junior and senior year, Santana, dealing with total confusion over what, exactly, her relationship is with Brittany (who's off on a two month family vacation), ends up running into a now completely single Rachel, who's determined to move on from Finn before the new school year starts.

(Tumblr tags: let the games and feelings begin~)

* * *

#130:

"Hey, Rachel."

"Yes, Santana?"

"I've got something to say."

"Ahuh?"

"I really loved the. Skillful way. You beat the other girls. To the bride's bouquet."

"Ah!  _Ohh_ , Santana."

"…Yeah, that really doesn't work."

Rachel wrinkled her nose. "It really doesn't, does it?"

Santana shook her head.

"Well, I thank you for humoring me." Leaning up, Rachel kissed the other girl softly.

"Mmm… No worries," Santana hmmed, kissing her back, "What's next?"

Rachel smiled. "Oh. My. God. Santana, look at her butt. It. Is.  _So_. Big. It's like – "

Slapping her hand over her girlfriend's mouth, Santana stared at her. "Whoah whoah whoah! We are  _not_ doing Sir Mix-A-Lot!"

(Tumblr tags: tada~ another prompts and bits piece, from 2011 i believe, wow..., XD, obviously i don't own, baby got back, nor, dammit janet!)


	14. Chapter 14

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #131:

"Seriously. I'm telling you the sex was  _boring_. No imagination, that boy." Santana looked down at her nails, "I can't even give him a handicap for it being his first time." She smirked. "In fact, you should be  _thanking_  me for setting him on the right path and getting something as fumbling pesky initial awkwardness out of the way. So when the human whale decides that Quinnie doesn't get his jollies off anymore,  _you'll_ reap all the  _ben-e-fits_."

Rachel stiffened. "Santana," she strained out, fighting not to turn away, "I do not want to talk about this line of conversation. I cannot I believe I give you  _any_ inclination that I want to a) be told this, or b)  _ever_ thank you for what you did. Because I can assure you, I do not." She looked up at Santana with her eyebrows starting to furrow, the lines of her mouth turning down.

Santana scoffed. "What  _I_ did?" she crossed her arms, her own glare appearing severe on her face, "What  _I_  did, Miss Tiny Tot, was only offer Finn something he already wanted. And you know what?" She leaned in close, lowering her voice, " _He_ _could have turned me down_. So understand this." She drew herself back again, "I may be hot shit, but if Finn had  _truly_  loved you, he. Could. Have. Said. No." She raised an eyebrow, "I offered him sex to increase his popularity, and as you  _only_ just found out a couple of months ago, he  _obviously_  never utilized that opportunity. So  _tell me_.  _Why_  did he go through with it, then?"

(Tumblr tags: an outtake from 'keep it for when i'm famous', santana keeps it real)

* * *

#132:

 **Rachel** : I loved Brittany.

 **Santana** : I know.

 **Rachel** : But I loved you first.

 **Santana** : I know.

Rachel's deeply in love with Santana, but it's not easy approaching her and she's just not  _getting_ anywhere, so she enlists Brittany's help. However, Brittany's also in love with Santana, so while she's helping Rachel, she's also using Rachel's help as well. However, it doesn't go smoothly, and for some reason neither girl end up with Santana. Instead, somewhere along the way, Rachel and Brittany end up falling for each other. It's not settling, it's real love, and they're happy together. But then an accident happens, or sickness, and Brittany ends up passing away, leaving Rachel devastated. She avoids Santana for a couple of months, grief stricken, but then the pull is too strong and Santana was Brittany's best friend and it really isn't fair to ignore her or continue having nothing to do with her, so Rachel finally ends up tentatively approaching Santana (or Santana  _forces_ Rachel to see her) - and painful, angsty, slow burning Pezberry ensues.

(Tumblr tags: another thing from my prompts and bits doc, from around 2010 or 2011, i swear i don't enjoy killing brittany off, i'm sorry britts)

* * *

#133:

Rachel suddenly…  _Dimmed_.

Santana stared at her. No. Damn.  _Way_. She gave Rachel an apologetic smile.

Rachel smiled back,  _blushing_.

Santana pumped a mental fist.  _Yes_!

"Well, Short Stuff," she tossed both of their empty glasses at a passing waiter before turning back, "Tell me about this thing."

(Tumblr tags: context? what context?, ;D)

* * *

#134:

The day Santana realized Rachel's  _gulp_ when she approached her was from  _more_  than just preemptive preparation for a nasal beat down, was the day Santana sat back,  _looked_ at Rachel, and went, " _Huh_. Okay.  _Hello_."

(Tumblr tags: it was the day she realized the girl was more, than just a reactive raised backbone, and COULD, ACTUALLY, have an honest reaction of her own)

* * *

#135:

Santana adores Rachel's singing voice.

(Tumblr tags: though she'll never tell)

* * *

#136:

Santana sighed.

Hmming, her hand starting back up with stroking the girl's hair, Rachel glanced from her book.

Sighing again, and shaking her head, pressing a quick kiss to Rachel's thigh, Santana murmured that everything was okay.

Studying Santana, seeing her smile up at her, Rachel smiled as well, teasingly tickled Santana's ear, giggled at her reflexive slap, and went back to her book.

Rolling her eyes, but pressing another kiss to Rachel's leg, Santana relaxed back into Rachel's lap, settled in, and turned her attention back to the TV.

* * *

#137:

It took Santana five straight days, a weekend, five  _more_ straight days,  _another_ weekend, and then  _one last Monday_ of serenading, followed by a vehement and  _witnessed_ verbal affidavit that she was  _not_  under the influence of a dare,  _or_ practical joke, to get Rachel to even  _agree_ to meet her at Breadstix just to  _discuss_  the  _idea_ of dating her.

(Tumblr tags: fortunately it was ALL worth it, rachel's sweet lady kisses testified to that, :D, (return of the attack of the italics!))

* * *

#138:

The first thing Sugar said to Rachel, when she found out that she and Santana were dating, was, "Wow. Bucking the blonde-brunette trend. Bold choice."

(Tumblr tags: rachel was incredibly confused, santana just laughed and slung her arm over rachel's shoulder kissing her cheek, 'don't worry about it, it's just that some weird segments of the population would've expected you n' q or me n' britts to get together', rachel frowned, 'that's just insane and... and NONSENSICAL to equate HAIR COLOR with the probability of ROMANCE', santana shrugged and nodded waving her hand in the air, 'eh just do what i do - blame tv - and ignore the haters, we're good together', snuggling into her rachel nodded firmly, 'yes we are', (i was recently reminded of this trend and - voila! XD))

* * *

#139:

The first time Rachel and Santana kissed, Rachel drew blood.

" _Ah_!" Santana hissed, yanking her head back, her hand coming up to touch her plump, reddened lower lip.

Rachel, already in the process of pressing her fingertip to it, paused, her hand wavering in front of Santana's mouth. "I'm - I'm so sorry! I've tried to stop doing that."

Laughing lowly, not really a laugh at all, Santana moved her fingers out, looking at the small amount of blood beaded on them. " _Fuck_ , Berry. What is your  _childhood trauma_?"

Impressed by the reference, but too panicked to say anything about it, Rachel frowned wretchedly, her eyebrows drawing together. Her hands wrung themselves in front of her. "I don't  _mean_  to. I just get - " She dropped her head, sniffing. "I just get excited."

"So you  _bite_?" Pressing her fingers to her lip again, somewhat mollified when it didn't come back particularly red again, Santana licked her lips, turning her attention back onto the positively contrite looking girl in front of her. "Gotta say, that's not  _actually_ as much as a turn-off as it could be - but  _only_  in certain circumstances. The first time we lock lips? Not so much."

Rachel opened her mouth, then closed it. She sniffled, still unable to meet Santana's gaze. "I know. I'm sorry."

Pressing her hand to her hip, studying the small - even smaller than usual! - girl in front of her, Santana rolled her eyes, groaned, and reached out, cupping Rachel's elbow. "Jesus," she muttered almost to herself, hands moving down and forward to mold themselves along the other girl's hips, pulling her closer to her again. "You know…"

Rachel blinked, large doe eyes staring up at her. She looked exceedingly hopeful. "I know?"

Santana smirked, nodding. "Yeah. You know. Give me a good enough reason, and I'll come back for a second try." She leaned forward, knocking Rachel's forehead with her own. "Even  _if_  it actually hurt like a bitch.  _Seriously_?"

Rachel's lips parted… Before she stuttered to a stop, looking down.

"But  _only_  if it's worth it," Santana finished. She watched, inordinately amused, as light, a couple of seconds later, sparked in the other girl's eyes.

Rachel looked up at her, head straightening, body pushing back. "Wait. Worth it?" Her hands tightened on Santana's shoulders. "You mean… I can…?"

"What?" Santana egged her on. "You can,  _what_?"

And, expression firming, not  _actually_  answering her verbally, Rachel surged forward, her lips smacking against Santana's again. Then, doing her best, even  _better_  than before, to kiss Santana's lights out  _without_  biting her - she happily,  _wonderfully_ , succeeded.

(Tumblr tags: and then when their tongues got involved... rachel almost fainted, :D, my my my~, (an old prompts and bits piece yay~))

* * *

#140:

Santana and Rachel's first embrace was done under the cover of darkness, the only light from passing, intermittent street lights that glowed in the windows of Mercedes' car, one by one. It was cool and quiet, Mercedes and Tina, in the front passenger seat, humming along with Mariah Carey on the radio, oblivious as Rachel and Santana curled facing each other on the small back seat under the thin blanket Rachel had brought, secure it would be enough for just her. But it wasn't just her now, and Santana's hand settled on her side, just above her hip, the both of them exhaling as their knees brushed against each other, close so neither fell off or contorted painfully. "You better not hump me in your sleep," Santana muttered, low enough Rachel barely heard her. Closing her eyes and letting out a soft, "Just don't kick me off, and we'll be fine," Rachel relaxed. Telling herself Santana's hand was fine where it was, and it was comfortable enough for now, she snuggled into her childhood blanket, breathed in Santana's subtle perfume, and slowly, lingeringly, fell asleep.


	15. Chapter 15

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #141:

Waiting for her daughter to get done wishing Rachel a good night, Santana full of smiles as she loitered at the front door, taking her time closing it on the smaller girl, the two for all in the world like they'd just gotten done with a date instead of a study session, Maribel couldn't help but chuckle to herself. For all that Santana was caustic and impatient, critical and judgmental, she was still just a teenage girl.

A teenage girl who, after  _finally_  closing the door, stood at the window to watch Rachel drive off, and was now slowly making her way back down the hall with a distracted, soft look on her face.

Maribel cleared her throat, getting too much enjoyment out of the jump, freeze, and jerky swing towards her that got. "Ana," she said calmly, ignoring the dark, glaring eyes on her, "When are you going to make that girl, and you, happy?"

" _Mom_."

"I'm not saying  _throw_  yourself at her - because goodness knows I don't need to see that, but for god's sakes, ask her out!  _You_  like her.  _She_  likes you." Pausing, watching her daughter, Maribel slowly approached her, squeezing her shoulder. She smiled, gentling her voice, "What are you waiting for?"

* * *

#142:

When Rachel realized her previously antagonistic relationship with Santana was slowly but surely turning into something surprisingly pleasant in the best of times (and still just as frustratingly mordant in the worst of times), she had set herself down in front of her mirror, stared herself in the eyes, and  _told_  herself she was  _not_ going to fall for another unobtainable love interest.

(Tumblr tags: (unbeknownst to her but santana wasn't really all that unobtainable, she just wasn't easy))

/

And here's a bonus add-on comment by pauladeroma:

_she does anyway… but what she doesn't know is that she is finally getting close to her happy end._

/

And here's a bonus add-on response by me:

_Honestly, she should have known the second she had to sit herself down that it was too late (and let's be real, it was more likely she actually did know and was just trying to lie to herself)._

_And what a happy end it was (and is and is and is and is ;D)!_

* * *

#143:

"It's been ten years," Quinn said, watching herself fluff her hair in the mirror of Mercedes' guest bathroom, "Since we've graduated high school. Don't you think it's time to either  _let go_  of this… Fixation, or  _do_  something about it?"

On either side of her, Santana and Rachel frowned, Santana continuing to slowly freshen up her lipstick while Rachel faltered, but recovered her brushing of her hair. They glanced at each other through the mirror.

Quinn sighed, rolling her eyes, lips quirking up. "Yeah," she tugged at her dress' sleeves, smoothing it down before taking a step back, "I'm talking to you both. You even finally live in the same city again." She smiled at each woman in the mirror, hand finding the bathroom door. "So, I'll tell the others not to bother you," she said, opening it and beginning to slip out, only pausing to finish with an amused, "Just make sure to thank me later."

(Tumblr tags: she graciously ignored santana's 'bitch' as she walked away, she'd get over it, found this thingie in my bits and pieces doc, oh quinn, how long have you been frustrated?, XD, ...sensing a theme with this batch of rptotds..., oh well)

* * *

#144:

Eventually, it became no small secret that the reason Santana always picked on Rachel was because she was attracted to her and hated that she was. The only people seemingly oblivious to this were Rachel and Santana herself.

(Tumblr tags: ...fuck it, there's a theme to these 10 rptotds, i tried not to make it so, but here i go with this entry, so whatever, i won't worry anymore, XD)

* * *

#145:

Rachel Berry hugs were some of the best hugs Santana had ever experienced.

(Tumblr tags: the 'i am going to hug you now's were just the cuteness icing on the adorable cake, and if you want to go down the morose route, she found herself missing them every now and then, when they moved on and started slipping from each other's lives)

* * *

#146:

It really shouldn't have been a surprise, when Rachel actually sat down to think about it, but it was, Santana's use of physical expression. Once they started getting closer, and then revving up once they officially started going steady, she would reach for Rachel's hand or play with her hair, hug her or pull her up to dance with her when she was feeling silly or romantic or amorous. Sure, Rachel had seen her with Brittany, but that was  _Brittany_. Having that attention on  _her_ … It was both amazing and overwhelming in both the best and 'being not prepared for it at  _all'_  way.

Didn't mean she didn't love it, though, or didn't eat it up. Because she did. A  _lot_.

(Tumblr tags: a lot a lot, one could even say... greatly?, :D)

* * *

#147:

The first time Santana was going to dinner with the Berry family as Rachel's girlfriend, she knew it would be better wear  _anything_  other than her Cheerio uniform. It would not do well to remind them about how she was part of the institution (as well as personal past offender) that had mocked and torn Rachel down for years. Besides, she wanted to wear something that would make Rachel speechless. She still wasn't over the expressions the girl made when she found her devastatingly attractive.

(Tumblr tags: which was ALL the time, also, insert a, 'with rachel speechless maybe santana would get a word in edgewise', joke i didn't feel like adding in the main section, at least it's affectionate now, santana likes hearing rachel talk, she just likes making her shut up too, ;D)

* * *

#148:

Rachel traced Santana's dimples.

Making a face, Santana laughed. "Stop that."

Rachel grinned. "No."

"No?"

"Because if I don't, you'll just keep bringing them back." Looking triumphant, Rachel moved her fingers back, squealing as Santana took a teasing snap at them, then squealed again when Santana moved forward, wrapping her arms tighter around her and rolling them over so she was now on top, smirking down at her.

"Got you now," Santana said smugly.

Rachel lifted her hand, fanning her fingers out along the other girl's cheek, giggling. "And I've still got these."

" _Berry_!"

(Tumblr tags: it was said with both affection and exasperation, (yeah yeah sorta related to an earlier rptotd, but i can't help it, look at santana's dimples!, how could rachel NOT be charmed by them?, :D))

* * *

#149:

Rachel wanted to hug Santana,  _all_  the time. She wanted to step into her or lean against her, rub her back or cup her arm, sometimes even brush her hair away from her face. It distracted her. She  _tried_  not to sit next to Santana in every class, but sometimes she couldn't stay away. She managed not to focus on her during glee, or during performances, but that was only because she was a professional. She also tried to be discreet, to not stare at her all the time, but she knew, with the amount of times she caught Santana glaring at her, or making pointed quips, she was unsuccessful. It was mortifying.

(Tumblr tags: she just couldn't stop, she had fallen for santana, now all she wanted was for santana to fall for her back...)

/

And here's a bonus add-on comment by pauladeroma:

_Now I can only imagine Rachel hugging Santana from behing, and rubbing her cheek on her back._

/

And here's a bonus add-on ficlet by me:

_"…B."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"…Is what I think is happening, happening?"_

_"You mean Rachel hugging you and rubbing her cheek on your back?"_

_"…Yes."_

_"Then, yeah! Rachel's hugging you and rubbing her cheek on your back."_

_"…"_

_"San?"_

_"Sorry B, but, **Berry**. What. The.  **Fuck**?"_

* * *

#150:

Santana  _rocks_  her and Rachel's daughter's baby carrier.

(Tumblr tags: she also loves how rachel looks at her when she wears it too)


	16. Chapter 16

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #151:

Sometimes, when Rachel looks back on her relationship with Santana, she wonders if it was truly just a teenage romance, or if either one of them had tried harder, they could have had something.

(Tumblr tags: then she sighs, shakes her head, and takes a sip of her tea turning her thoughts elsewhere)

* * *

#152:

On one hand, Santana's interest in Dani gave Rachel concrete proof Santana could be attracted to shorter girls. On the other hand, Santana's interest in Dani gave Rachel tenuous proof that Santana wasn't interested in her - and probably wouldn't be interested in her, either.

Tenuous proof, maybe, but proof enough.

(Tumblr tags: pretty damning proof actually, at least in rachel's mind, WHY am i on a sad rachel kick?, D:)

* * *

#153:

In the worlds where Rachel and Santana didn't get together until after high school:

3% of the time it was a very brief, very fleeting sexual fling, 10% of the time it was while they were roommates in New York (50% of which started from very brief, very fleeting sexual flings that… didn't  _stay_  very brief and fleeting), another 10% of the time it was while they were roommates in New York, only to break up and come together again later, 25% of the time it was years later when they were successful in their own right and reacquainting themselves, and 50% of the time it involved friends' meddling, fake dating, hate sex, sharing a bed, or some other type of much loved, much enjoyed trope.

(The last 2% was something completely different each time that  _no one_  could accurately predict completely - i.e. wildcard worlds.)

(Tumblr tags: note: these are just %s i'm pulling out of my ass, don't take it as gospel, XD)

* * *

#154:

As much as Santana worried about coming out and her social standing and her family's reaction, she couldn't  _stop_  staring at Rachel's short, short,  _short_ -ass skirt and long, long,  _long_ -ass legs.

(Tumblr tags: it was brittany all over again, not helping thanks, and yet her eyes always strayed...)

* * *

#155:

If Rachel didn't know better, she'd swear that every time she turned in Santana's direction in glee, Santana was either staring darkly at her or very obviously, very quickly averting her eyes from her.

(Tumblr tags: she didn't know what it meant, but she still couldn't help but dread the possible reasons, santana could be savage)

* * *

#156:

After their first kiss, Rachel and Santana didn't want to stop.

(Tumblr tags: it had been heady and overdue and so so heart pounding conducive, they'd pulled back to look at each other, cheeks pink and dimply, and then moved back in, eyelashes fluttering shut and lips pursing, an action they practiced over and over)

* * *

#157:

Eventually, Rachel started gauging the time she needed to get a trim or haircut by how Santana started paying more attention to fondling and stroking and playing with her bangs and pushing them back, behind her ear, away from her eyes, than how she cupped and stroked her thumb over and along her cheek and cheekbone, pulling her in for kiss after kiss.

(Tumblr tags: when she finally asked, santana had no idea what she meant, it had been completely unconscious, which had somehow made rachel feel better)

* * *

#158:

In a world where Rachel only tentatively admitted to being interested in Santana after Santana had already initially headed home after spending Christmas in New York with her and Kurt:

It only took Santana 55 days, 22 hours, and 20 minutes to come to terms with the fact that  _maybe_ she was interested in Rachel, too.

(Tumblr tags: santana only hoped, over a month and a half later, that rachel hadn't given up on her already, (yes this is me not counting or taking note at all how many days or whatever, was between the unaired christmas and the follow up on the show itself))

* * *

#159:

Santana  _adored_  getting under Rachel's skin and making her hot and huffy.

(Tumblr tags: it was only years later, after falling into bed and a subsequent relationship with rachel, that santana admitted it was probably because she loved, igniting rachel's passion however she could, and just hadn't allowed herself to reason that out, (but that was only years later, during high school she only knew she thrilled each time those, dark dark brown eyes had snapped at her, a job well done huh))

* * *

#160:

 **A/N** : Inspired by a TFLN: (215): I'm not upset because I like you. I'm upset because I can't use you for the sex anymore.

* * *

_Im not upset bcuz i like u. Im upset bcuz i cant use u 4 sex nemore_

Countless seconds and minutes passed as Rachel, on the other side of the text conversation, didn't respond.

Santana sucked her lower lip into her mouth, her brow creasing as her fingernail tapped against the back of her phone.

 _I should admit,_  Rachel finally answered,  _It's a relief, almost, to hear that._

Santana almost felt a physical wave of relief of her own pass through her, and she couldn't stop herself from smiling broadly.  _Wat? U were already thinking u wud have a reason 2 not talk 2 me? Im hurt_

 _Santana_. Santana could almost feel Rachel's consternation and rolled eyes,  _You just admit that you're feeling more for me than simple "horniness" and fired hormones and yet can't stop your almost pathological need to sass? Whatever shall I do with you?_

Santana grinned, her heart almost pounding in her chest as she rolled over, practically hugging her phone to her chest as she tapped back.  _I dont kno… Give me a 1000 kisses?_

_Weren't you the one upset that we kissed more than got done what we were SUPPOSED to do a month ago?_

_That was only cuz U were the 1 in charge of sumthing skool rel8ed and got distracted worshiping my hot body_

Smirking, Santana pushed her arm under pillow, relaxing her body as she gazed at her phone screen, waiting for Rachel's response.

Only… Rachel didn't respond for over an hour.

When she did, Santana snatched her phone up, having been wide awake, fighting the urge to close her eyes in case she missed the other girl's response.

_Santana… I know we were exchanging flirty texts back and forth earlier, but… Do you really like me?_

It smacked of vulnerability, and Santana exhaled. Her thumbs tensed as she texted back.

_I do_

Rachel's ringtone rang in the air, Santana quickly swiping the line open. "Rache?"

"You really mean that?" Rachel's voice was soft and hesitant, "More than just a… A sex buddy?"

Swallowing, laughing a little because she'd expected Rachel to call her far earlier than she had, Santana pressed her ear to her phone. "Yes, Rachel. Somehow, you crawled under my skin and I…" In for a penny, in for a pound. She smiled. "I like you. More than just a sex buddy."

Rachel inhaled. "O-oh. Me too. I, I mean, I like you too."

Santana beamed, her heart thumping, another wave of relief rushing through her. "Good. So… Whadd'ya say?" She paused long enough to hear Rachel shifting on the other side of the phone, her lips curving up, "Wanna do this?"

Exhaling, Rachel noticeably smiled. "…Yes. Yes. I do."

(Tumblr tags: this was a draft i found in my tumblr drafts and, spiffing it up a little, i figured it would do well enough as a rptotd, :D)


	17. Chapter 17

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #161:

Sometimes, Santana preferred to sit back and watch. And sometimes, when she did… She noticed how  _not_  straight Rachel really was.

(Tumblr tags: not COMPLETELY straight at least, and sometimes... santana thought about doing something with that knowledge)

* * *

#162:

Even if things weren't always rosy, at least Rachel and Santana, for the most part, tried.

(Tumblr tags: for the most part - because in some worlds, either both or one of them didn't, but in those worlds that they did try, they tried and tried and rarely gave up, meaning trying to keep a relationship or at least trying to START something..., it was up to the worlds themselves, (of course in some worlds it didn't work, or one or both of them ultimately gave up, it was - as it mostly is - rarely set in stone))

* * *

#163:

As much as Santana and Rachel competed against each other, they had the equal amount of potential to support each other, too.

(Tumblr tags: i actually have a lot of feels about this okay?)

* * *

#164:

Rachel had never been inside the nurse's office before. Stopping off to talk to the young woman behind the desk, she hesitantly poked her head into the adjoining room, a cautious smile taking over her face as Santana spotted her.

"Hey," Santana half sat up, pushing her hair, uncharacteristically loose from her ponytail, from the side of her face.

Rachel padded in. "Hi." Clasping her hands in front of her, she looked over Santana, biting her lower lip at the ice on her ankle. She wanly smiled. "I'm almost surprised Sue's letting you lie down and convalesce. Does it hurt?"

"That's cuz' she's in Venezuela on a mission for the US government, so Q's in charge," Santana smirked, shaking her head and lying back down, "And…" Reaching out, Santana curled her hand around Rachel's arm, gently tugging her closer towards her; she smiled up at her, "Not anymore, it doesn't."

A blush glowed on Rachel's cheek. Nervously brushing her hair behind her ear, she leaned down, whispering, "You're an incredible flirt," before her lips pressed into Santana's cheek, lingering for only a second before she straightened. She ignored Santana's cheeky, "You know it." "But I'm serious. It's not broken or fractured, right? You don't need to go to the hospital?"

Santana caught her hand. "Calm down before you give yourself conniptions, Rachel. I'm fine. I've hurt myself enough in Cheerios to know what's wrong." She looked down at her foot, "It's just a sprain." At Rachel's look, she rolled her eyes. "I landed on it wrong. Here, can you, ah…"

"Oh! Of course." Removing the bag of ice, Rachel looked back and forth before deciding on placing it onto the nearby table. She curled her chilled fingers into her palm. Her other fingers curled in Santana's grip, and she helped Santana shift around, somehow ending up sitting next to her. "I'm not sure this is truly what the nurse meant when she said to make myself comfortable when I got in here," she smiled.

Santana smirked, angling so she rested against Rachel's side and shoulder, leg stretched out in front of them. Her fingers squeezed around Rachel's again. "I dunno. Give us a couple of minutes and we'll be  _plenty_ comfortable…"

Rachel laughed despite herself. " _Santana_."

(Tumblr tags: this was a sweet silly scene that came to me, think early in their relationship, or perhaps even before their relationship and, rachel's convinced herself santana's only kidding, works either way!)

* * *

#165:

This conversation was inspired by [thedeadflag](thedeadflag.tumblr.com)'s wonderful fic [Head First](https://archiveofourown.org/works/12737565). (Go check it out!)

**purrpickle**

I can just see Santana, whenever she buys a new bowl, bringing it to Rachel and saying something like, "Which side's left?" And every time, Rachel just asks her, hasn't she learned yet? To which Santana only shrugs, "I don't have the patience to figure it out, babe, you know that," complete with a wink and sliding her arm around Rachel to pull her in.

**thedeadflag**

absolutely. Rachel will puff up her cheeks a bit, mark which side is left, and quietly grouse about how it's so obvious, and Santana will just kiss her head and hum along in affirmation, having long since given up on understanding the convoluted logic.

She once thought you'd look at the bottom and use the distributor/copyright text as a sort of compass, flipping the bowl over and using that to determine which was left. She'd been a little pleased with herself in figuring it out.

It was, of course, not at all correct according to Rachel.

**purrpickle**

Santana actually had to go out and buy a new, same replica and everything, bowl because having thought she'd figured it out, she'd drawn a line exactly as Rachel had and presented it to her… Only for Rachel to gasp in pure dismay. She'd grumbled and groused the whole time, finding the LAST GODDAMN BOWL in the whole city, but no one can ever say she doesn't romance her hobbit.

**thedeadflag**

And even though Rachel can't understand how Santana can't see which side of the bowl is the left side, she does love that Santana tries for her, and even after giving up on figuring it out, she doesn't tease her or make fun of her for it like, say, Kurt, who practically had an aneurysm when he learned about the bowl superstition

And sometimes, if Santana's been away visiting her family for a while, she'll spruce up/re-arrange the apartment in a few ways and give Santana an excuse to rummage, hiding a few things in there, often with sticky notes with some of her favourite lyrics on it. Because she still doesn't understand the impulse to snoop, she gets that it's just something Santana does, and enjoys, so she'll entertain her…so long as Santana cleans up after herself

**purrpickle**

Yes. Definitely. And, hah! Yes. And god, the almost childlike glee Santana gets when she finds something, it's almost like a scavenger hunt for her.

**thedeadflag**

Absolutely! Rachel may not completely understand Santana in their early years together, but she knows a few things about Santana's quirks.

(1) She loves shiny things.

(2) She likes finding new things, and salvaging old things others discarded.

(3) She likes messing with people for fun.

It didn't take long for her to combine that with how loud and aggressive Santana can be, and internally compare her to a raven/crow, but she didn't dare vocalize it until Quinn pointed it out one Christmas.

**purrpickle**

Ohhh no. Rachel had to deal with an angry, loud, at times weepy and defensive drunk on spiked eggnog Santana for at LEAST an hour after that.

Weepy and defensive went hand in hand, not two separate things, mind you.

**thedeadflag**

Drunken weepy defensive Santana bursting out into song to prove she doesn't sound like a crow to try and disprove it, but she keeps getting distracted by all the tinsel on the xmas tree, and then it's just a feedback loop

**purrpickle**

Rachel finally pushes Santana down onto the couch and plops herself heavily on her lap. Partly to keep her down, partly to help distract her, and partly to be able to kiss Santana whenever she sings something incredibly romantic or well.

She also ends up singing with her.

**thedeadflag**

for sure! Rachel can never pass up the opportunity for a good duet

**purrpickle**

Kurt gives a sulking Quinn an amused, dry look. "That what you intended to happen?"

Quinn rolls her eyes and grumbles, "accidentally" hitting Kurt with her elbow.

**thedeadflag**

just for that whole debacle, Santana insists on buying Quinn four boxes of pink hair dye and a twelve pack of fishnets for her next birthday

**purrpickle**

XD Knowing her girlfriend, Rachel hadn't even tried to talk her out of it. She just made sure her present was something useful.

**thedeadflag**

Rachel acknowledges that spite can power Santana at times, and just…personally vows to try and balance the effects of that out when the opportunity arises :P

She also gives Santana one of her rail passes so the two of them can get together in New Haven and hash things out. She swears one cheek of Santana's is a tiny bit swollen when she returns, but San's all smiles and harmless snark again, so she figures it's just her imagination

**purrpickle**

Yes. It's kind of like, for her peace of mind, she willfully ignores it. And that night, while they're resting in each other's arms, talking about Santana's visit, Rachel leans in and kisses Santana's neck, making her shiver. "I'm proud of you," she chirps, "Going to see Quinn. That was a rather mature decision for you - and Quinn - to make."

And of course Santana just snarks something about how Quinn could have maturity bite her in the ass and her lizard baby would STILL have more maturity than her. …But she's glad she went, too. And she'll make up Rachel's pass.

**thedeadflag**

haha absolutely

(Tumblr tags: thedeadflag, seriously go check her fic out, it's amazing!)

* * *

#166:

Santana caught Rachel's wrist. "Wait."

Rachel looked away.

"Rache."

Her lips turned down, Rachel continued ignoring her.

Santana's grip tightened, then loosened. "So that's it? You're giving up?" Her voice flattened. "Wow. Just, wow. Glad to know how you really feel about us, babe."

(Tumblr tags: i found this in my drafts, i cry, i share)

* * *

#167:

Kurt had been having a wonderful, calm Wednesday morning in the Bushwick loft until his phone vibrated at 8:48 AM. Taking a sip of his coffee as he thumbed through to see it was a text from Rachel, currently in Lima, he thought nothing of opening it. Two seconds later, the screen dripping spat out coffee, he wished he hadn't.

_I slept with Santana last night._

His first thought after,  _You **slept** with  **Santana**_? being,  _Wasn't Santana in **Kentucky**_?, he somehow managed to split the two.

_HOW DID YOU GET TO KENTUCKY TO SLEEP WITH HER?_

Rachel's response was fairly quick; Kurt could visualize her hovering tensely over the screen. Though, would Santana be naked under the covers next to Rachel, slumbering as Rachel faced away from her? Feeling faint, Kurt forced that image away.  _Not_  what he needed to focus on!

 _I didn't. She was in Lima. Visiting family._ _I ran into her at the grocery store when I went to pick up some vegan ice cream._

Yeah,  _that_  explained  _a lot_. But as Kurt was about to blister his fingers demanding more information, his phone vibrated with another text she must have started on before the last one had sent.

_She had a fake I.D., using it to procure liquor. You know I normally abhor flaunting the law like that, but I'd been having a bad day. You remember. I ran into Finn… Where things went south. She was likewise brooding over Brittany. We bonded. She somehow, against my better judgment, convinced me to drink in the park with her near her house. I don't remember all of it. All of that, at least. But at some point I DO remember stumbling into her bedroom in her arms and kissing. That, I remember all of._

Kurt rubbed his forehead.

 _All of it_? he asked hesitantly.

 _Yes_ , Rachel informed him in no unspoken terms,  _All of it._

Groaning, Kurt lowered his head to the table. He'd  _called_  the tension between Rachel and Santana, back in high school. He'd called it!

_Okay. Okay. You slept with Santana. Are you freaking?_

_He'd_  be freaking!

_WHAT DO YOU THINK? YES, Kurt! I need you to tell me… I don't know…_

When more than a couple of minutes passed without a follow up text, or texts, Kurt prompted,  _Go on_.

When  _another_  couple of minutes passed without a follow up text, Kurt, fingers tapping a harsh staccato on the kitchen table, sent out a tense, vibrating,  _RACHEL_?

When he  _finally_  got a response, in the public transit bus he'd forced himself to board on threat of getting fired from if he  _didn't_  go to make his shift, no matter the personal emergency, it wasn't from Rachel. Instead,  _Santana's_ number practically smirked up at him.

_So sorry, Kurtsie-Wurtsie, but Rachel's a tad tied up at the moment. She'll have to respond when her mouth and fingers aren't occupied and she can speak again. ;)_

The back of Kurt's head dropped onto the top of the bus' seat. Yeah, he laughed painfully to himself, he'd called it. He'd called it. Still, he groaned, covering his eyes with his hand,  _if only he could just get rid of the mental images_!

(Tumblr tags: i would if i had the motivation or drive, write out santana or rachel's, side of this, but because i don't, have this tiny bit instead, XD, perhaps someday huh?)

/

And here's a bonus add-on comment by pauladeroma:

_and now we know the real reason for Santana to go to NY :D_

/

And here's my bonus add-comment response:

_Yes. **Yes**. That really  **is** the reason, isn't it? :D_

* * *

#168:

Santana stroked Rachel's arm. Her fingers dipping up and down with the girl's surprising musculature, rubbing along a robust, if slim bicep and tight, toned tricep, to swirl, sliding along a strong forearm, trim and strong, she had to bite her lower lip, breath catching in her chest. "You're…" she provided when Rachel made a curious noise, looking up at her, splayed out alongside her, "Just… Really in shape."

Rachel's laugh was light, airy, somehow capable of making Santana relax, not tense up with embarrassment. "You're really surprised?" the girl asked with a modicum of amusement, eyelashes fluttering as she rolled over a bit more, cuddling into Santana's side, free arm reaching up to tangle inquisitive fingers in the hair at Santana's nape, pulling sweetly, "I do aerobics and dance daily, Santana."

"I know," Santana asserted, making a face, but truly smiling; she bowed down, nose rubbing along Rachel's cheek, lips pursing along her jaw. "But I can still appreciate it, can't I?"

Exhaling, Rachel's grip tightened in Santana's hair, easing before sliding up, tangling further in the curly tresses. Her legs curled, bowing around Santana's. "I guess you can," she whispered, turning her head, lips ghosting along Santana's, lifting up, "Mmm… You're very sweet."

Santana nipped her lower lip, pressing into her. A smile of her own spread her lips. "Give me a second, baby," she husked, rolling on top of Rachel, grinning down at her, "And I'll show you how sweet I's can be."

(Tumblr tags: this was inspired by a gifset that showcased rachel's arms, XD, i was also feeling wistful~, :D)

* * *

#169:

It was when Santana went home for Christmas during her first year at the loft, lured home by tentative hopes she could patch things up with her family, that Rachel came to the realization that, even with Kurt and Elliot around, the loft felt empty without her.

(Tumblr tags: canon timeline schmanon schmimeline, i just like the idea of from christmas to christmas, does this mean romantic love?, not necessarily, not yet, does this mean friendship?, yes definitely, it could mean that, does it mean she just realizes she enjoys santana being around, and that's she's used to her presence?, definitely that one works too, :})

* * *

#170:

The first time Santana nodded off, body drooping into Rachel's on the loft's couch, it was during the first week of her impromptu move-in, exhausted from forging her own place and negotiating rent and space. Having woken up with her face smushed into the couch's arm, arms and legs akimbo, having evidently made space for Rachel's compact body, she'd frozen once she'd realized whose warm body was nestled into her, stared down at the somehow comfortable girl, and coughed, jerking her body so Rachel practically tumbled to the ground next to the couch, squeaking and jerking up, blinking owlishly before turning off the TV and tottering off to her bed as Santana breathed deeply into the back of the couch, purposefully turned away.

The third time Santana nodded off, body drooping into Rachel's on the loft's couch, she had been exhausted from a double shift at the diner. Having woken up with her face smushed into Rachel's collarbone, taking on the indent of it across her cheek, she'd jerked back once she'd realized whose warm body she was draped over, stared down at the somehow still slumbering girl, and rolled off her of her loudly but surreptitiously enough so it seemed like Rachel's choice to wake up and yawn and stretch and waver on the side of the couch before shuffling off to bed as Santana nursed a glass of water in the kitchen, purposefully turned away.

The fifth time Santana nodded off, body drooping into Rachel's on the loft's couch, it was after going out to celebrate Rachel's successes at NYADA, having collapsed onto the couch as they giggled and laughed and barely tried to keep quiet enough for Kurt to sleep unbothered. Having woken up with her face smushed into the couch's arm, arms and legs akimbo, having evidently made space for Rachel to loll along her chest and collarbone with her hand cupping Rachel's lower back, she'd blearily looked down at the girl, taken stock of her own comfort level, and mentally shrugged, shifting only enough to make it so the warm body on top of her didn't pinch or push against anything important, Santana's awareness purposefully turned away.

The seventh time Santana nodded off, body drooping into Rachel's on the loft's couch, it was because she had purposefully wrapped herself around the girl, parked her head on her chest, and breathed her in, sleepy and happy and excited from the promises of Rachel's kisses she'd just experienced. Having woken up with her face smushed into Rachel's chest, nose buried between her breasts, a pleased smile had spread on her lips and she'd squeezed her securely, arranged herself even closer to her warm body, and pressed a kiss to Rachel's throat, murmuring away her sleepy question. She certainly wasn't going to turn away now.


	18. Chapter 18

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #171:

Rachel curled her arms around Santana's neck. "You're… You know," she smiled, meeting the girl's dark eyes, "Very, very,  _very_  beautiful."

Her own hands cupping and feeling out Rachel's hips and lower back, Santana grinned, eyebrows arching. "That's  _Berry gay_  of you, Barbra. Havin' fun?"

"At Kurt's party? That we're at?" Rachel nodded, bobbing her head a few too many times. "Don't think I've been to any other high school parties… Aside from. You know. My t-train wreck."

Santana smirked. "Yes. At Porcelain's party. That we're at." She hummed, sliding her hands back and forth, keeping the other girl close. "Wha'd've you had to drink? Puckerman make you anything? Or did Guppy Lips set his sights on you?"

Rachel scoffed, eyes closing momentarily before her nose moved in, nuzzling into Santana's neck. "If he  _had_ …" she started leadingly, "Either boy - would I be here with you? No." She smacked her lips, smiling against Santana's throat, "I would not be. So no. I may have… May have accepted a drink from Sam, but he was… Mmm… He was making drinks for  _all_  of the pee…oples in the kitchen."

"Pee _oples_!" Santana grinned, turning Rachel around so her back was to Santana's front, Santana's arms wrapping around her waist, lacing on her stomach. "You're adorable when you're drunk, Hobbit."

However, instead of the laugh or bashful reaction Santana expected to receive, Rachel frowned, looking down. "You sure?" she asked. "I'm not… I'm not too clingy?" As if to illustrate her question, she pushed back into Santana, ass to her pelvis.

Santana only barely managed to hold back a moan. "If this is you being clingy," she husked, teeth nipping at Rachel's ear, Rachel melting into her, "Then me likie. Me likie. A  _lot_."

(Tumblr tags: woo! another random prompts and bits i found~, :D)

* * *

#172:

The first thing Rachel reached for was the over-sized sleep shirt Santana had left haphazardly within her space the week before. Emblazoned with the slogan for something Rachel had asked about but couldn't remember now, she clumsily shrugged it on, only weaving a little as she stood up on unsteady feet. Padding over to the door of the loft, she had barely unlocked it before it was already being rolled open.

"You would  _never_  believe what happened at work today," Santana announced as soon as the door was open enough to slide in, it slamming heavily closed behind her. She sighed, tossing her hair and hanging her purse and jacket up on the coat rack near Rachel's blinking, confused body. Catching sight of her, Santana paused. "What?"

Rachel swallowed, looking down, her hand wiping at her own forehead. She smiled wanly. "Nothing. I just… You woke me up."

"I did?" Santana's forehead creased. She frowned. "I'm sorry… I'd just… Forgotten my key… You can go back to sleep, alright? In fact, I think you should. You're looking peaked, Berry."

Nodding, Rachel slowly turned on the pad of her foot. When she stumbled, her legs buckling, a warm arm was suddenly around her waist, hand catching at her hip.

"Whoah whoah whoah," Santana husked, pulling her body into hers, bolstering her, "I's got you. C'mon, babe. Back to bed you go."

Rachel exhaled, tired, resting her head against Santana's shoulder. "Mmkay," she sighed, nodding. As Santana walked her back to her bed, she couldn't help but smile. "You called me baaaabe," she trilled, head turning up, dark eyes sparkling up at Santana's.

A faint smile quirked Santana's lips up. "I did," she answered.

Rachel smiled, eyes closing. She leaned into Santana. "I like it."

Using her shoulder to push open the blanket keeping Rachel's zone cordoned off, Santana laughed lightly. "Good to hear, Berry. Maybe we's can revisit this later? When you're not looking so pale you could rival that freaky kid made from lightning from that movie we watched last week, mmkay?" She gently lowered Rachel down onto the bed, helping to pull her bed covers up around her chin when she wriggled under them.

Rachel made a face. "I didn't like that movie."

Laughing a little at Rachel's petulance and nodding along, Santana looked down at her, pausing.

Rachel blinked owlishly up at her. "Yes?"

Softly laughing to herself, Santana smiled. "Sleep, Rache. I'll make some of Mom's soup you love." She brushed Rachel's bangs back from her eyes, curling her hair behind her ear, her eyes dark.

"And we'll continue this conversation?" Rachel asked quietly, eyes fluttering shut at the gentle touches along her forehead and cheek.

"Yeah, babe," Santana said purposefully, enjoying Rachel's reaction, drowsy eyes barely opening to look up at her; she stroked through Rachel's hair again, her heart tripping in her chest. "When you're  _not_  lookin' so creep-tastic. So sleep and feels better, kay? Sleep."

(Tumblr tags: another bit i found in my drafts woo~, and real talk time - that movie santana referenced?, it's a real one that my best friend's parents watched one time, when we were under ten years old, and i remember how much it freaked me out, it was too scary for my young tiny mind, and there was a naked man's butt!, XD, yeah i haven't bothered to look it up, and i'm not planning to!, side note: i just love rachel being under the weather, and santana taking care of her, :}, ask foxchaos if you don't believe me! XD)

* * *

#173:

"…It's like a ticket to heaven," Santana shrugged, handing the three legged puppy off to Rachel. Hiding her smile at Rachel's wide grinned response to the dog, the dog both settling into her grip and snuggling into her, trying to lick her chin, she appreciated Rachel's compliment about how she was really good at what she was currently doing. Which, duh. Oh  _course_. Sue had prepared her, after all.

Still, "Sure have! Every time I watch Scandal," she responded, expertly turning Rachel's attention away.

…She really needn't have tried, of course, Rachel having already wrapped up and turned her attention to the dog in her hands, eyes so dark and limpid, her arms tightening around the wriggling body even as she allowed the wet, pink tongue access to licking along her chin and neck. Smiling, watching the unadulterated joy crossing the younger girl's face, Santana turned away before sparkling brown eyes flicked back to her.

There were plenty of other dogs to pay attention to.  _Cute_ ,  _needy_ , little dogs.

As opposed to  _cute, needy_  little  _friends_ …

(Tumblr tags: yeah this is silly and random, but oh well, what i write after seeing random gifsets~, XD)

* * *

#174:

Once Rachel's fathers were able to ship her elliptical to the loft (along with other rudimentary exercise equipment), Santana never grew tired of "just happening to be around" or working out herself with the added benefit of watching Rachel work out.

(Tumblr tags: of course she just told herself that, as a former cheerio, she appreciated in shape females)

* * *

#175:

If anyone had told Rachel she'd come to appreciate Santana's special brand of affectionate snark, she would have strenuously begged to disagree.

* * *

#176:

Rachel and Santana just…  _Fit_  with each other.

(Tumblr tags: as long as they worked at it, during high school or after, college or following opportunities, they almost always found a way to make it, mesh and work and HAPPEN)

* * *

#177:

When Santana moved into the Bushwick loft, it didn't take her long to realize she greatly preferred crashing in Rachel's bed than Kurt's or her own lumpy, uncomfortable couch.

(Tumblr tags: i'll leave it up to your imagination why, ;D)

/

And here's a bonus add-on comment by pauladeroma:

_And Rachel soon realized that her bed always felt colder without Santana there._

/

And here's my bonus add-on comment response:

_Yes. Yes yes yes._

(Tumblr tags: even if they went to bed at differing times, or woke up at different times as well)

* * *

#178:

Courtesy of a guest thinker anon:

Rachel, aside from spontaneous Diva moments, had a habit of making calendars for calculated relationship fights and how many days before allowing making-up. However, she would never be able to tough it out and would make up before the planned date because Santana, who had found out about the calendar ages ago, would secretly make it a challenge to have make-up sex before the date Rachel had chosen. Kurt, knowing all about all of it, could only affectionately roll his eyes at his roommates' antics.

* * *

#179:

It was Santana who, even if in a completely ancillary position, helped convince the Berry Men to give Rachel a puppy Fiyero.

It was an adult Fiyero, years later and full of secure doggy bravado and love for his owner, that managed to bring Rachel and Santana together.

(Tumblr tags: fiyero the pezberry dog strikes again!, :D)

* * *

#180:

"Berry, calm your tits. If I freaked out every time I woke up naked next to someone I otherwise wouldn't have gone for sober, I'd have moved into a funny farm by now." Noting the expression on Rachel's face, Santana scoffed. "Oh,  _that_  hurt your feelings?" she asked, throwing sleep-mussed hair from her face and pulling it from her lips, "Don't make me roll my eyes. It'll make my head hurt more than it already does, and no me gusta."

(Tumblr tags: one day perhaps i'll expand on this, and make it more than just a thought, but today is not yet that day)


	19. Chapter 19

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #181:

Rachel will tell anyone who asks that the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for her was when Santana snuck into her window in the middle of the night after Rachel had called her, paranoid and crying from a terrible, terrible nightmare.

(Tumblr tags: she held her and kissed her and sung her back to sleep, before climbing back down and arriving the next morning to drive her to school, (santana had experience from doing similar with brittany throughout the years, but rachel was different and santana knew she had surprised her, when she'd shown up twenty minutes after having hung up the phone, the caught breath words and vulnerable tight curling of rachel's body into hers, as well as her first initial hard hug, had told her so and made it all worth it))

* * *

#182:

In a world where Rachel immediately dumped Finn upon learning of his outing of Santana:

Rachel showed up at Santana's house later that evening, cheeks red and hands worrying in front of her. Even as Santana tried to slam the door on her, she shoved her foot in between it and the frame, swallowing her yelp of pain and impulsively grabbing Santana's arm. "Please," she hurried out, watching Santana's eyes darken in anger, "You don't have to say anything - just give me three minutes of your time. To - to apologize. And offer my and my fathers' help."

Santana studied her flatly. "You shouldn't apologize for your fucking boyfriend, Berry," she stated just as flatly, jerking her arm from Rachel's grip. Turning without motioning for Rachel to come in, she still didn't close the door.

Hesitating for only a second, Rachel followed Santana down the hallway, pausing only to shut the door behind her. "He's not," she started, fighting down the sadness that welled inside her; she cleared her throat as she caught up to Santana's side, "He's not my boyfriend anymore, Santana."

"What, he cheated on you?" the cheerleader offered, barely sparing Rachel a glance as she evidently retook a spot on the couch, turning the movie she had been watching back on, "Ran back into Quinnie's Sunday dresses? 'Accidentally' broke your white Streisand mic? Or maybe he finally gave up and told you to stop talking because it was  _such_  a turn off while he was squirming on top of you?"

Rachel took a seat next to Santana, compulsively arranging her skirt around herself. "You know, I'd have assumed you'd more rather take  _my_  side than his," she inhaled, "All I'm doing is offering to help. Though you're right. I  _shouldn't_  apologize for him." Pain welled up in her chest again, and she felt even  _more_  tears prick at her eyes. "I still can't believe… With his  _brother_ , and  _me_ …. My  _fathers_ … I thought he was better than that."

Santana snorted, a rough and disbelieving sound. "We talking about the same boy?" she snapped, turning from the TV, eyes flashing. "The  _same_ boy who'd rather pray to a  _fucking sandwich_  to get his  _quarterback_  position back than for his step-father to  _survive_  a heart attack? Not to mention all the  _other_  crap he gets away with because he's the ' _golden boy'_?" She scoffed, shaking her head and sounding very, very tired. "Right. My bad. Hudson's the very  _definition_  of a decent human being."

The sound of the movie blared in the background, Rachel unwilling to meet Santana's eyes. She'd reflexively opened her mouth to defend Finn… But Santana was right. She really couldn't. Really  _shouldn't_. No matter how much it hurt her heart to acknowledge.

Finally, Santana tch'ed, shaking her head and turning back to the TV. "Whatever. Tell me why you're here already so's I can laugh, kick you out, or what is most likely and would give me the most enjoyment out of this whole thing: laugh  _then_  kick you out."

Nodding, and, with the movie still playing in the background, Santana barely deigning to acknowledge her until the end, eyes getting redder and tighter as her shoulders drew together, arms wrapping around herself, the cheerleader looking thinner and sharper than Rachel had ever seen before, prompting Rachel to finally give in and settle her hand on her knee as if to comfort her, Rachel told her not only what she and her fathers had discussed and arranged, but also how she, herself, had come to a decision about how she would step forward and help Santana at school and in public if they were ever together and it was needed.

Having already fought and given in to angrily wiping tears away as Rachel spoke, Santana didn't answer for quite a while after Rachel had stopped talking. But when she did, Rachel had to clamp her hand over her mouth before she let nervous laughter fly: "Jesus, Berry. That was a  _hell_ of a lot longer than three minutes."

Having to clear her throat, Rachel nodded. "Yes, yes it was. So thank you for listening."

Santana lifted a shoulder up, shrugging. "Whatever, Berry. Everyone gets  _one_  'get out of Snix free' card."

Laughing lightly, Rachel looked down.

There was more silence between them, the movie a little distracting in the background. Then, after a beat, Santana's eyes slid back to Rachel, expression almost cartoon-ish in its fierceness, "This is  _not_  going to be his."

Rachel straightened. "Oh, no. Definitely not. I… I wasn't thinking that."

Studying her for a couple of seconds, Santana relaxed again. "Good." She looked at the TV, but then looked back at her, an eyebrow arching. "Maybe, even if you  _do_ still talk too much, there could be hope for you yet. Because somehow, against my normally one hundred percent crystal clear Mexican Third Eye Miss Cleo-like premonitions telling me I should run far, far away from you and the voice inside me screaming that I'll suddenly find you hiding out under my bed if I lets you think yous can be seen with me… You don't  _always_  have bad ideas. So we'll see."

Unsure if she was  _completely_  being insulted or only partially, Rachel made a face, sighed, but ultimately, meeting Santana's dark gaze, managed an admittedly relieved, slight smile.

Slowly, haltingly, and quickly blinking her gaze away once it was done, Santana gave her a small, what could be called the barest hint of a smile, twitch of her lips in return.

(Tumblr tags: this one could have been a little more in-depth and i could have done, some more things with it that i wanted to but didn't because it was already, taking too long but oh well, it is what it is, :})

* * *

#183:

In some worlds, Santana gave Rachel a photo of her own to put up in her locker. And in some of those worlds, by the end of the school year and the 42 days, the single photos of each other turned into photos of the two of them, together.

(Tumblr tags: feeeeeels, too many feeeeeels)

* * *

#184:

The look (up and down and wide eyed, unprepared at hiding appreciation) Rachel gave Santana at first sight of her dressed up in civilian clothes (read: non-Cheerio attire) for their first glee performance ended up heating Santana's dreams for weeks.

(Tumblr tags: did santana ever acknowledge that look?, or her own reaction to that look?, or how it floated and featured in her dreams?, hint: she acknowledged it as much as rachel did, who had immediately gulped and turned away, ears red and hands busy smoothing down her own shirt, out of mutual agreement they never spoke of it)

* * *

#185:

The first time Santana's hands slid along Rachel's back as she impatiently pushed past her to get into position for rehearsal, Rachel was not at all prepared for the trails of heat that blazed as soon as she'd slipped past. She hadn't had time to dwell on it, however, as Mr. Schue had quickly called for attention, Rachel's sense of show business quickly kicking in, pushing it from her mind.

Except… Either Santana had become more impatient or "comfortable" interacting physically with the hobbit as high school stretched on, because the frequency of her randomly touching her or moving her out of the way had only increased. Not too obvious, of course, to  _greatly_ stick out, but common enough not to be negligible. Either way, it had the ability to increase Rachel's physical awareness of her, each time.

It wasn't until after high school and having time away from Santana (as well as having been introduced to the more "sexually open and fluid" environment at NYADA) that Rachel started to understand just  _why_  her body had prickled and been hyper focused whenever Santana came close or touched her. In the end, it was almost mortifying, coming to a full realization as she had during Christmas break, as well as embarrassing acknowledging having been so blind and obtuse, but, at least, Rachel had reassured herself, Santana would be going home soon. Then she could push it from her mind again and move on. It wasn't like Santana was going to do anything like  _move in_ , after all.

(Tumblr tags: think of this before rachel drunkenly mumbles the invitation out, or she'd forgotten, both likely, :D, god what is tense?, i have no idea anymore)

* * *

#186:

For one of the rare times in her life, Rachel wasn't careful enough. A momentary lapse of forethought, and she ran her hand through her hair, pushing it back from her neck. Having forgotten she'd taken off her scarf earlier that morning, it too warm in her house to keep it on, as well as not changed into a turtleneck yet, having gotten stopped and distracted in the kitchen by her fathers asking her how Puck's after party, followed by a sleepover at Mercedes' house, had gone, she showed off the spectacular new hickey on her neck.

LeRoy choked into his coffee, eyes wide, making Hiram look up from where he was scooping some fruit salad onto his plate.

 _Finally_ , after chastising Rachel for allowing her teenage passions to affect how potential directors or benefactors could see her, Rachel dutifully apologetic and nodding along, blushing hotly all the while, Hiram settled back down into his seat, letting his consternation leech from him.

However, when he tried to move the conversation along by telling Rachel it was quite all right and normal for her to try some kind of teenage hook-up with her ex or Puck or that boy who she'd momentarily asked to move in with them the year before, as well as hoping she was smart enough not to break up Artie or Mike's relationships, Rachel exhibited her second lapse of forethought for the day.

Butting in, partly in wanting to defend herself against the assumption she would have gone back to her ex or experimented with Puck or the others without thought and a weighing of pros and consequences, and partly because she was still reeling from the beginning of what she hoped would be a long and  _real_ relationship no matter the impulsive and…  _physical_  way it had started and feeling the urge to share it with the men who she had shared everything before with, Rachel made it clear that  _no_ , it wasn't any of the boys,  _yes_ , she had been careful with no  _actual_  sex having taken place, and  _definitely_ , she considered what she had started with Santana to be something more than just "experimentation".

Santana.

Who was supposed to sleep over the next weekend so they could work on a project for Chemistry together. Who Rachel had  _hoped_  she would have more time to spend with before she felt the need to inform her parents about the change in their relationship, forestalling the institution of the "Rachel Berry Underage Relationship Protocol".

Santana, who groaned and leaned back from where she had been nibbling up Rachel's jaw to give her an inscrutable look after she told her how their sleepover was going to be changed.

Santana, who, for maybe the first time in this whole thing, actually  _proved_ Rachel's sense of forethought being not all that poor by reacting, after doing an expected sharp censure, better than anyone else in her position could have, in Rachel's opinion.

Santana, who, doing said reaction, earned herself a large, real, relieved smile and Rachel lunging in for a passionate, lap-straddling, deep,  _involved_  make out session.

(Tumblr tags: i worked on this one way too long, how did santana react?, hell if i should know! XD, she just did, and woo do the long long sentences come back to play~)

* * *

#187:

To Santana, Rachel's decision to serenade her one chilly day in December of senior year practically came out of nowhere.

To Rachel, her decision to serenade Santana one chilly day in December of senior year was the culmination of months' long introspection, countless lists of pros and cons, dissecting every encounter she had with Santana down to the minute detail, and the answering of one final question: could she  _really_  see herself dating and…  _being_  with Santana?

(Tumblr tags: obviously the answer was yes, yes she could, or at least she wanted to TRY, now it was in santana's court, (though rachel was prepared to play dirty if she had to))

* * *

#188:

This is a throwback from three years ago, where lightbluenymphadora and I did a little back and forth Pezberry headcanon thing. I think it's cute and deserves to be shared again, so here we go. :}

**purrpickle**

Still laughing at my fortune cookie from last week:

You are extremely generous and always thinking of others - - in bed.

~~How did they know?~~

**lightbluenymphadora**

Santana starts leaving these around for Rachel to find, with the "in bed" scribbled in real small at the end :)

**purrpickle**

Rachel would have thought about objecting to the practice (after all, she had been wondering about the sudden rise of times they were ordering Chinese), except for the fact that she had started to gather them up and store in preparation to make a scrapbook for their wedding. She couldn't wait to see Santana's face when that came to light.

**lightbluenymphadora**

I was JUST THINKING "lol, Rachel probably kept them all in a keepsake box or scrapbook."

**purrpickle**

Can you imagine Kurt's face when he stumbles upon it? Or, oh. Oh no.

During one of Rachel and Santana's "off periods", where it's just fact that they're over, a sobbing Rachel pulling out the scrapbook to make her heart break harder at the memories.

**lightbluenymphadora**

Actually I think that's how Kurt stumbles onto it. Like he gets home from work and is relieved for a moment that Rachel's not up crying for the third night in a row. He peeks in to check on her and finds her asleep holding the scrapbook. Next day he makes it his mission to talk some sense into Santana, though he never tells either of them why.

**purrpickle**

That's what I was thinking, too. He tries to pull the scrapbook from her hands without waking her, gently pushing her discarded Boyfriend Pillow he had to dig into her closet to find in its place. He also ends up cleaning the drool and tears off the cover before placing it onto the bedside table. Sadly affectionate!Kurt is one of my favorites.

(Tumblr tags: and happily kurt's plan works, and the scrapbook is proudly on display for the wedding, :D)

* * *

#189:

Santana really  _does_ like listening to Rachel sing.

(Tumblr tags: it does things to her, emotionally, sometimes physically, always viscerally)

* * *

#190:

Courtesy of guest thinker lightbluenymphadora!:

Santana and Rachel have the same fave holiday - Halloween. Over the years this has led to epic Halloween battles. But when they bought their first house, they put their feud in the past and teamed up in a common quest: winning the neighborhood decoration contest. The straight PTA moms in the neighborhood are pissed that all their kids want to go over to the lesbians' pirate haunted ship. :)

(Tumblr tags:yes yes yes yes yes, i love all the things about this this suggests, first - that santana and rachel had competed with each other in the past, meaning they probably lived near enough to each other it made it important, continuing on into adults because it wasn't until they got their own place it ceased, second - that they bought a house in a place that would HAVE that kind of, neighborhood and neighborhood that would foster a, 'straight pta mom' attitude, and neighborhood decoration contests, which sound so fun not gonna lie, for those who are into it which is DEFINITELY santana and rachel, so - domestic pezberry, together and stable and with means to make it comfortable, definitely at the point or have already been at the point, to have children together, because why else move to a neighborhood like that?, with the energy and ability to work together and make, THEIR place the place to be, and THEIR child/ren the envy of the neighborhood kids, and THEIR relationship the envy for those who respected it, :D, all the feels!)


	20. Chapter 20

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #191:

A couple plus years ago, pauladeroma sent me a gif with the comment: Rachel on top of Santana, and Santana slides her hands into her pants and grabs her ass (where Santana was naked under a blanket and Rachel was clothed and they were kissing).

My response: Oh god yes. And Santana's already naked under the covers, enjoying feeling Rachel's skin, inch by inch. Like, oh my god, first time sex for them. Santana's naked and Rachel's clothed, and it's something like Rachel's been having a terrible, stressful day and she calls Santana to ask if she can come over, and she drives over, letting herself into the house because she doesn't want to wake the family, and once she gets to Santana's room, she takes off her long coat that was covering her pajama pants and sleep shirt, and Santana opens the covers for her, Rachel not completely registering in the dark that Santana's not clothed (at least in the chest area), but when Santana kisses her, Rachel's arms wrapping around her, it's like ZING, "Sa-Santana, what?" and Rachel keeping her hands in polite, safe places, Santana chuckling into her shoulder as she spoons her, pulling her in closer to her heated, naked body. She's not truthfully wanting to start anything, she just wants to comfort Rachel, and she just figured there was no point in getting up just to put on clothing and she knows she looks good anyway. And though it takes Rachel a while to fall asleep, first whispering and crying a little as she talks to Santana about her bad day and Santana strokes her stomach and brushes kisses to her head and shoulder, making her feel better, and then it taking a while longer still because, even as tired as she is, Santana's NAKED and not planning on getting clothed, she manages to relax enough to drift off. In the morning, she wakes up curled into Santana's side and chest, her head nestled in Santana's breasts, Santana stroking her back and hip again, happily holding her as she knows Rachel's gonna wake up soon. They talk a little, Santana teasing Rachel a little about "gettin' close to the girls", but tells her, once again, she's really not expecting anything; she just enjoyed having Rachel's body pressed in close to her naked skin even if she was still clothed. Rachel does get up to head into the bathroom, but she's already back before Santana had bothered to get out of the bed to find something to wear so she can go downstairs and procure them breakfast, and before she knows it, Rachel's all blushes and biting her lip and softly slipping back into the bed, crawling up Santana's body, wavering over her as she looks into Santana's dark eyes with her own intense, determined expression, then leans down and kisses Santana, lowering her body to lie on top of her, Santana's hands following her down to cup her hips. "Really?" Santana whispers, and "Yes," Rachel whispers back, swallowing, closing her eyes as Santana's fingers slip under her shirt to stroke her sides and bottoms of her ribs. "We can stop at any time," Santana husks, pressing her lips to Rachel's mouth then nose then mouth again, inhaling as the rough-soft material of Rachel's pajamas press in between her legs, the soft fabric of Rachel's shirt against her chest combining with her growing arousal making her nipples start to harden, hardening even more as she starts to feel Rachel's answering. "I know," Rachel whispers, but then she's kissing Santana again, this one lasting countless minutes and breathless sighs and moans and groans as their tongues twine and lips envelop and slide and suck and they lose themselves in each other, Santana's hands starting to move, Rachel's hips starting to rock, and with each lift of Rachel's shirt and lowering of her pants, more and more of their overheated skin touches.

[The rest of the conversation redacted for future actual fic write-age. :D]

(Tumblr tags: is this truly my first more 'adult' rptotd?, why yes, yes it is, wow, it only took 190 rptotds before it, XD, and even then it's redacted because of future plans..., sorry (but not really sorry!), hopefully my already started doc will get done!)

* * *

#192:

Rachel's arms slung low and loose around Santana, tightening only momentarily over her hips before her body sagged down. Her forehead pressed into Santana's back. She inhaled, words watery. "When will you realize I'm good enough for you?"

(Tumblr tags: is santana awake?, able to hear rachel's words?, or asleep?, unknowing of how rachel feels?, both could work, and both are heartbreaking, D:, or maybe santana IS aware of how rachel feels, but she doesn't return them, but still treats rachel like a friend, and has sleepovers, and it's hard for rachel..., that could work too, (hard for santana too in other ways of course), another random find in my prompts and bits doc~)

/

And here's some add-on tags from 14andtaller-than-elise3auman:

_#fuuuuuuuuuuck #you just had to rip out my heart huh #just had to make me have rivers out of my eyes #just had to make me imagine rachel #tears in her eyes #voice cracking when she says this #santana fully awake #pretending not to be #but silently crying as well once she feels rachel is asleep #fuuuuuuuuuck #mah heart #my soul #mah eMOTIONS #pezberry #rachel berry #santana lopez_

* * *

#193:

The first time Santana attempted to make breakfast in bed for her diva-tastic roommate, she accidentally used  _real_  egg, not Rachel's disgusting substitute, and she ended up slapping the fork out of Rachel's hand on its way to her mouth. Doing her best to ignore Rachel's insulted look, snagging the plate away while quickly shallowly explaining something about her mistake, she also did her best to ignore Rachel's surprised, searching look, too. Finally, ten minutes later, sliding the  _fixed_  plate in front of Rachel at the kitchen table, she bit her tongue and smiled when Rachel praised her. Not the same impact as she'd meant, but it was something, at least.

The second time Santana attempted to make breakfast in bed for her not-so-annoying-as-she-once-had-been roommate, Rachel ended up walking out of her space  _far_  before Santana was ready for her to, rubbing her eyes and yawning and plopping into her seat at the table as she blearily asked Santana what she was up to. Sighing, glaring down at her half-cooked vegan pancakes, Santana just scraped the finished cakes onto a less classy plate than she'd planned and slid it in front of the hungry NYADA student. Fielding questions about if she would be able to eat it by rolling her eyes and telling her there wasn't  _anything_   _non_ -vegan in the loft - a total fallacy that Santana made sure was true by later chucking the offending food out of the window while Rachel was in the shower - Santana just nodded and grunted when Rachel thanked her. Not the same outcome as she'd meant, but it was something, at least.

The third time Santana attempted to make breakfast in bed for stressed-out-and-would-be-even-more-tolerable-than-she-had-been-lately-if-she-was-more-relaxed roommate, she ended up doing so the same morning Kurt decided he wanted to drunkenly totter back into the loft with a group of excited, chittering homosexual interns at his heels. In the middle of frying up the  _greatest_  vegan omelette known to man, having already prepared a piping hot pot of English Breakfast Tea, Santana had suddenly been overrun with grabbing, insistent, hungry gophers, and, finally deciding it was safer to retreat back into Rachel's cordoned off area than trying to survive unscathed under the fay onslaught, she ended up waking Rachel with her hand over her mouth and a finger to her own lips. Staying quiet and hiding until the gaggle of gays passed out, finally sneaking out to take up momentary respite at the diner near their apartment, Santana only grumbled and smiled when Rachel thanked her for getting her out of there. Not the same endgame as she'd meant, but it was satisfying to a point, at least. Still, it was becoming ridiculous how her plans just continued to get derailed.

The fourth time Santana attempted to make breakfast in bed for her she-was-beginning-to-realize-she- _like_ -liked roommate, Santana waited until Kurt was in Lima, there wasn't  _any_  non-vegan culinary options in the  _entire_  loft - believe her, she'd  _looked_ when her stomach had rebelled after a dinner of tofu lasagna the night before, no throwing out extra money needed - and she was sure there was going to be  _no_ interruptions because Rachel had practically dragged herself home the night before, already half asleep by the time she'd bumped into Santana's legs as she sat on the couch, needing help being ushered to her bed. This time, Santana's piping hot kettle of English Breakfast Tea was untouched, her  _amazing_ vegan omelette was untouched, and it all slid nice and prettily onto their "nicest" set of plates and cups the Berry Men had sent them last Christmas. Santana, after presenting the spread to the surprised, happy Rachel, definitely didn't even need to slap the food out of her grasp, either. The kiss Rachel pressed to her cheek, excitedly pulling her down onto her bed with her to eat with her was, maybe, not the result she'd meant, but it was more than it could have been, at least, she smiled, sighing.

(Tumblr tags: i just really like the idea of santana trying and failing, but still trying until she got it right, to do this ONE thing for rachel, and falling in love with her along the way, also, kurt totally got his breakfasts too, but it was never and had never been the same, he wasn't vegan first of all, and secondly santana hadn't wanted to bump uglies with him either, so yeah, not nearly the same stress, :D, but seriously, by that time, it was TOTALLY a matter of pride almost most of all, to GET RACHEL TO EAT HER DAMN BREAKFAST IN BED)

* * *

#194:

Rachel honest to god dropped her books when she saw Santana in her nurse outfit, teddy bears in arm, stroll down the hallway.

(Tumblr tags: no matter the bad blood between them, and where santana was obviously heading in said outfit, the visceral shock had gone ALL through her body, (her only saving grace was that everyone else was, reacting the same so her embarrassing reaction, wasn't noticed or going to be held, against her, for later or immediate blackmail))

* * *

#195:

Courtesy of guest thinker lightbluenymphadora:

Whilst learning to adult, Rachel and Santana both had to learn to cook. This was all well and good while they were learning their go-to meals, family favorites, etc., but then they got cocky… And the competition started. Kurt loved it while they were feeding him, but had to put a stop to it after The Coq AU Vin Incident Of 2014.

"No more!"

"It wasn't that bad, Kurt…"

"Carrots and red wine COATED THE WALLS."

(Tumblr tags: yessssss, XD, it was even worse than i thought!)

* * *

#196:

When Rachel didn't speak to her for two weeks, Santana cornered her in the bathroom. "You," she announced as soon as the door closed behind her, startling Rachel rinsing her sweater in the sink, "Are  _the_  most annoying midget I know."

Rachel gave her a  _look_ , as if to say 'I thought I was the  _only_ midget you knew - and you shouldn't use that word anyway, Santana', and went back to watching the orange slushie from her sweater drain down the sink.

Chuffing in the back of her throat, Santana crossed her arms. "So, like,  _god_ knows I should be  _happy_  you haven't uttered a single, nasal word to me. Like a respite. Maybe you've even learned your lesson that I find you insufferable. But no. This silence?" She scoffed, shaking her head, eyes rolling up, "It's  _concerning_. Like you've been  _jonesing_ to serial kill me and are just  _pretending_ to ignore me to set up your alibi.

"Because, see," Santana continued, moving in closer, hip pressing against the side of the sink as she leveled a fierce glare on Rachel, "You're still talking to  _everyone_  else. And that? No me gusta. That's  _weird_."

Rachel lifted her eyes again,  _looking_ at her. Pointedly. Then moved her gaze back to the sink, turning off the water and starting to squeeze her sweater dry.

Santana watched the orange flow through Rachel's fingers, then shook her head, getting herself back on point. " _Berry_ ," she barked, stepping forward, hand slapping down on the sink next to Rachel's arm, making her jump and look at her, "What. The.  _Fuck_?  _Seriously_?"

Chin raised, Rachel didn't answer.

"You're  _still_  not gonna talk to me?  _Why_?"

And indeed, her chin still set, still seemingly ignoring her, Rachel still didn't answer.

(Tumblr tags: santana didn't get an answer then, nor an answer soon after, however - when she DID get an answer, it surely wasn't one or THE one she expected)

* * *

#197:

Courtesy of guest thinker [c-k-mack](https://c-k-mack.tumblr.com/)!:

Santana was surprised how many of Rachel's relatives showed up for Passover that she hadn't met in the whole year they'd been dating. But when the primos, tios and tias showed up for Cinco de Mayo, Rachel shook her head and said, "You win."

(Tumblr tags: this is adorable, :D, i love how it was almost like a contest between them, definitely sounds right)

* * *

#198:

Courtesy of guest thinker [GuyanaRose](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/GuyanaRose/works)!:

Santana and Rachel go to a museum. Santana touches some random artifact and they get transported about a century into the future and meet Clarke and Lexa. :D

(Tumblr tags: i'm actually surprised that, as far as i know, this hasn't been done before, XD, ohh i think this is also the first crossover rptotd too!)

* * *

#199:

Rachel and Santana first started with a plant. When both could take care of it without over watering it or leaving it dry because they assumed the other was taking care of it for a solid six months, complete with soil tests and scrutinizing dropped leaves, they moved onto a fish.

A year later, complete with tearfully holding a burial for Dolly Number 1 when the person chosen to care for her ended up  _not_  being qualified at all, and successfully raising Dolly Number 2 after deciding that entrusting their pet to someone who  _killed_  it put them back at zero, they moved onto a Tamagotchi.

When they successfully reared it to full Senior, splitting the responsibility almost one hundred percent between them via a complicated schedule provided by Rachel that rapidly broke down into an easier program out of necessity and panic when a spurious button press by Rachel almost killed it off, they moved onto a cat.

As cats were more independent, Rachel and Santana waited a year. Through kittenhood and moving to a new apartment and a mad dash to save Dolly Number 2 when Elphie discovered her open bowl, along with figuring out budgeting and the added cost, they managed to only have one complication: the spaying, which would have happened anyway. Which meant, both women making sure to have time to be home and available for supervising and acclimating, they  _finally_  moved onto a dog.

(Don't even get them started on adding a baby into the mix.

…But it was probably going to happen once the pets were old enough.)

(Tumblr tags: (after all it was obvious to the both of them, where this series of events was heading), also, before having to hold a funeral service for their tamagotchi as well, rachel found someone who not only promised to take care of it, but also didn't run after seeing the seven page contract, she set out before them too)

* * *

#200:

Though she'll forever and ever deny it, Santana was Rachel's first kiss.

(Tumblr tags: maybe as wee kids, maybe as soon-to-be teens, or maybe all the way into sophomore year, it happened, and neither - even if they tried - would ever forget, (maybe not the 200th rptotd planned, but neither of the possible options finished in time so, oh well, XD, still monumentous!))


	21. Chapter 21

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #201:

Courtesy of guest thinker c-k-mack:

When Santana started making heart eyes at Dani, Rachel commented, somewhat sarcastically, "I thought you only liked blonde girls."

(She never answered when Santana asked why that mattered.)

(Tumblr tags: ughhhh this makes my heart hurtttttt)

* * *

#202:

Courtesy of guest thinker lightbluenymphadora:

Santana's proposal to Rachel was low key. Everyone, ready for a big thing, like a video being posted to Facebook for maximum likes, were disappointed with the mass text they got instead.

Rachel, overjoyed with the proposal, was totally cool with Santana smugly withholding details. It was something just for them.

(Tumblr tags: love it!, santana would be INCREDIBLY smug, if rachel was happy she was happy, and that's just how it was)

* * *

#203:

Rachel snuggled into Santana's army camo jacket. "I didn't know you liked to show patriotic flair," she commented, breathing in the scent of Santana's perfume.

Rolling her eyes, Santana still couldn't keep back a half-smirk. "It's not for the 'patriotic flare', Berry," she laughed, shoulder knocking against Rachel's, "It's for how it fits me." She lifted her chest, hand waving towards herself. "Shows off the goods."

Rachel flushed, eyes skittering away from Santana. "Oh." Her cheeks burned pink, camo jacket almost squeaking in her grasp. "I see."

* * *

#204:

Tan skin. Tan skin  _everywhere_. Being unprepared to see it, Santana stopped, almost violently as her hand flashed out to slap against the entrance of the loft in a last ditch effort to halt herself, announcing her presence.

"Wow, Jewberry," she covered with a whistle, enjoying the jerk and unenthused glare Rachel gave her from between her legs, not moving from her criminally scantily clad Wide-Legged Forward Bend yoga pose, "Who knew you were hiding  _that_ under all that argyle and jail bait fashion?"

(Tumblr tags: okay so maybe rachel was used to doing yoga in the middle of the loft, that being the biggest and clearest space she had to do it, but not having been expecting santana to be home so soon from job hunting..., and so used to having the time and space purely for herself..., both girls were left surprised and off-kilter, and while rachel wasn't quite sure she really had a leg to stand on to, bring it up with kurt later..., she still felt like she had to, somehow, maybe?, at least to talk about how santana's dark eyed gaze upon her body made her feel yes...)

* * *

#205:

One of the most surprising compliments Rachel ever got was from a drunken Santana who grabbed her to yell, quite loudly and directly in her ear, words rushed and slurred and heated as if she had to get them out  _right at that moment_ , "Berry! Berry. Dammit. I like your face!"

(Tumblr tags: and santana after staring at rachel eyes dark, stumbled off, continuing towards where the music pumped into the room, mumbling something about how she could now tell b she got that off her chest, leaving rachel struck dumb and clutching her drink, staring after her, (one of the most surprising and WEIRD compliments definitely, especially due to who had been the one to say it, as well as sometimes rachel thought about how it could have easily been, something she herself could have said to santana while under the throws of alcohol instead))

* * *

#206:

Courtesy of guest thinker lightbluenymphadora:

Rachel's jealously wasn't a problem in terms of their romantic life. Santana was a hella attentive girlfriend, and Rachel always emphasized communication between them. Her jealousy only became a problem when Santana got famous.

It hadn't even been something Santana had been trying to do - she and 3 friends had just started a podcast that took off unexpectedly.

Finally, after months of snide comments, Santana couldn't take it anymore. "I'm sorry I got famous before you. Call me when you get out of your feelings."

(Tumblr tags: i love this, i honestly do, it hurts but it's an honest hurt, like i can definitely see it happening between the two, and that's what makes it worse/better, ugh)

* * *

#207:

When Rachel's hand impulsively reached for hers, and upon realizing the ease with which she accepted it, squeezing Rachel's fingers in hers as they chatted and teased and groaned and laughed, walking from window display to window display, enjoying their lazy Thursday afternoon, Santana knew something fundamental had shifted.

(Tumblr tags: and it felt better and more comfortable - for once - than she ever, would have thought it would, (is this high school? nyc? future? any and all, take your pick :D))

* * *

#208:

Santana may have been the one with the more noticeable dimples, but Rachel's cheekbones…  _Mmm_ , did Santana find herself wanting to run her thumbs along them, especially when Rachel's bangs and hair was  _so_  on point and perfectly showcasing of them.

… _God_ , but was Santana  _such_  a lesbian.

(Tumblr tags: it, was, ANNOYING, also, don't ever tell anyone but junior year, especially, had been TORTURE on santana, ever since rachel showed up to school with her new hair style, it had NOT been fair, not at all, and god knows did santana punish rachel for the thoughts she'd inspired, (at least later, at the loft, when drunk and admitting all of it, did rachel get SOME sort of belated smugness out of it))

* * *

#209:

Santana knew she falling in love when Rachel plucked her reading glasses from her face, winked at her as she settled them on her own nose, and sauntered into her curtained bedroom with a lascivious smile aimed at Santana over her shoulder, enticing her to follow her.

Rachel knew she was falling in love when Santana took one look at her after she dragged herself into the loft, canceled the fancy dinner she'd already started, and pulled her into the bathroom to run her a bath, telling Rachel to rest, relax, and take her time while she made her her favorite vegetable soup instead.

(Tumblr tags: the point was both girls were still getting to know each other, and though they weren't perfect and didn't gel all the time, they still managed to surprise and endear and impress each other, emotionally, sexually, and everywhere else in between-ly, for santana - it wasn't just because of the sexual aspect of their relationship, nor for rachel - it wasn't just because of the emotional aspect of their relationship, it was just, perhaps leftover from high school, they were attempting to learn from old assumptions and views of each other)

* * *

#210:

This back-and-forth was started by c-k-mack on tumblr, and I could't resist adding to it. :D

**c-k-mack**

**Rachel** : Those lemon yellow/ lime green dresses are so hideous!

 **Santana** : Right? I kinda wanna throw up, right now, but then people might confuse me with one of the bridesmaids.

 **Mercedes** : Just march up the aisle already!

 **Quinn** : *sighs and shakes her head* Honestly! How did I end up maid of honor to the only two women who could criticize their own wedding?

**purrpickle**

They obviously planned it all out on purpose. The hideous dresses… The "terrible" DJ at their reception that Rachel kicks off the stage so she can put on her prearranged Wedding Playlist she just "happened" to have prepared… Which Santana pulls out and replaces with  _her_  Wedding Playlist  _she_  just "happened" to have prepared… The karaoke contest Rachel challenges Santana to for control of the music… As well as the resulting heated duet that ends with Rachel throwing her arms around Santana's neck as Santana lifts her, the new wives ecstatically kissing the ever living daylights out of each other.

Also, the couple that judges together, stays together, remember? ;D (Referencing RPTOTD #57.)

**c-k-mack**

What the guests didn't know was that the couple had spent a month crashing weddings, just to pick out the tackiest dresses and lamest wedding dances. That is also where they found a baker tacky enough to make their gaudy colored cake with the custom hers and hers topper couple seated in a low-rider with dreidels hanging from the mirror and SNIX on the license plate.

**purrpickle**

Rachel hadn't been able to stomach ruining her first dance, but after that, all bets had been off. She only kicked the DJ off after he played all the "terribly stereotypical wedding songs", after all.

Also, for that wedding cake, it was actually the first of two. That awful and tacky one, which she made sure Quinn got  _all_  the great pictures of their guests making faces at or oohing and awwing over (as well as pics of herself shoving a piece of that cake at Santana's face before Santana could do it to her), and then another for their wedding album.

(Honestly, that month of crashing weddings had definitely given her and Santana  _lots_  of terrible, terrible ideas and strict vetos for the truly awful - whipped cream vodka soaked wedding cake that was then set on fire?  _that_  had been a disaster the moment it had been revealed and gave Rachel a contact buzz just from standing next to it and  _smelling_  it, not to mention how it had set the bride's hair on fire! - as well as lots of experience with the fun improvisational practice of pretending to be long lost relatives. Rachel  _still_  didn't know how Santana got away with some of the tenuous connections she'd spouted.)

(Tumblr tags: c-k-mack, this was so fun!, :D)


	22. Chapter 22

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #211:

This was inspired by this AU: I'm an interior decorator and you hired me to fix up your apartment AU, which lightbluenymphadora reblogged.

**purrpickle**

Oh my god SO Santana making fun of and critiquing her client, Rachel's, sense of decoration. Rachel just keeps getting more and more ticked off because she didn't think she had a problem, and aren't you here to HELP? So just HELP and LEAVE. All the while she can't fire her because Santana's the best in the biz and Rachel'd committed.

Bonus points it's after a breakup and she was initially spurred on by her friends to redo her apartment to help her get over her ex.

**lightbluenymphadora**

Oh god it would be a train wreck

**purrpickle**

But it would be so DELICIOUS, too.

Santana, finally, in exasperation, asking Rachel WHY she wants to keep THIS ONE THING, and Rachel going quiet, starting to cry a little, because her and her ex got it together. It reminds her of happier times. And Santana, as gently as she can, in her no nonsense way, of course, helps Rachel confront that her ex cheated on her, and they're not getting back together, and if she really NEEDED to keep it, maybe, like, move it into a storage unit and come back to it a year from now to see if the attachment's still there?

The last scene would definitely be like a year or more later, Rachel smiling peacefully at the object, ready to let it go, before closing the back of the U-Haul she was using to donate things, smiling and happily walking over to Santana who'd called for her, taking her hand. And as Santana makes some kind of affectionate, teasing comment, Rachel answers the same back. She's excited to see where her life with Santana is heading.

(Tumblr tags: god i really don't know tense do i?, XD, at least CONSISTENT tense)

* * *

#212:

In a world where Brittany "hires" Rachel as her campaign manager during senior year to help her get reelected as school president:

When Rachel snidely asks Santana what her job title is, or if she's going to help her, seeing as she's always around and just snarking, Santana looks up from where she's filing her nails, smirks, and tells her her job is to sit back and be the hot First Lady, duh.

(Tumblr tags: the ensuing affair that develops between the first lady, and campaign manager, built from a reluctant truce and more time spent, with each other than ever before, (figuratively) rocks the halls of william mckinley high school, and breaks the heart of president brittany s. pierce, (in some of the other worlds there never is a truce between rachel and santana, in some their relationship ends with the truce full stop, and in others still, rachel and santana start with the truce and end only with a much improved friendly relationship), ((and yes - who knows what brittany has over rachel to get her from kurt's camp, in the first place?)))

* * *

#213:

Rachel almost choked on a bite of steamed broccoli when Santana, chin resting in her palm as she gazed at her from over the kitchen table, fork in hand and Kurt out on a job hunt, suggested that maybe Rachel could pay her rent for her if she and Rachel worked out some kind of  _repayment…_

But only until Santana found a job of her own, of course.

(Tumblr tags: santana was just being pragmatic after all, and it wasn't like she'd NEVER wondered what was under rachel's animal sweaters, and short short skirts before, why NOT offer something she was good at?, and very very interested in?, it wasn't like she hadn't seen how INTERESTED rachel was back at her either, (jus' sayin'))

* * *

#214:

Courtesy of guest thinker lightbluenymphadora:

Rachel and Santana do Italy for their honeymoon.

(Tumblr tags: a tour of italy, places where both women want to go, late nights and early mornings and lots of rich rich foods and wine, they take all the romantic photos they can to commemorate, (and share of course), love this)

* * *

#215:

Santana was unlike anyone else Rachel had ever been attracted to. Not only was she thin - very thin - and very feminine and fashion-conscious (not just girly, which Rachel included herself in), she was also, personality-wise, a kind of her own. While former beaus of Rachel were also known to say cross words and very adept at playing with her insecurities (though sometimes, at night, when her mind wandered and her walls came down, Rachel shamefully wondered if they were so adept or she too thin-skinned when it came to matters that were not her carefully crafted entertainer identity), Santana had the ability to see right through her. See right through the facades she put up and, while not always without some filter of twisting and changing her reality to suit her barb of choice, able to pierce right to the heart of her. While she professed to do the opposite, Santana paid attention to her, presumably for the accuracy of dealing with her, and that was… That ability was uncanny. Frustrating. And most of all, for someone who very often felt like she was floating through people's lives without any sort of tangible interaction or touch - personal touch, not just the applause and attention she lived on - especially from someone she was finding herself more and more drawn to - was frightening.

(Tumblr tags: the long twisting sentences with offshoots and random thoughts and a plethora of commas and dashes strikes again, i think they happen when my internal thesaurus goes haywire and i have to write in a roundabout way to get across what i want)

* * *

#216:

Santana was already shoving her jeans down her legs by the time Rachel made it to the top of the fence.

"Wait!" Rachel cried, voice soft but stressed, arms clinging to the wood, "San. Santana. Oh god, I think I'm getting splinters. I don't think I can do this."

Rolling her eyes as she curled her hands into her shirt next, Santana tossed that down onto the ground before turning, facing Rachel with her hands on her hips. "You're only making it harder for yourself," she shook her head, "Just, like, shut off that brain of yours and swing over. There's grass. You won't break anything."

"So you  _say_ ," Rachel bit out, then closed her eyes, almost starting to hyperventilate, "But what if I  _do_  end up breaking something? Like my nose or spine, ending my Broadway career even before it can  _start_ …!?"

Her bra already down her arms, panties only a second away from being at her feet, Santana groaned. " _God_. And you  _wonder_  why I wanted B or, god forbid,  _Puck_  with me at the beginning of this evening." Dropping her bra onto her discarded shirt and jeans, Santana walked over so she was under Rachel, unconcerned in the least at her undressed state. She set her legs, arms spread. "C'mon. If you  _actually_ tumble, I'll catch you." Her voice was dry. "Promise."

Rachel cracked her eyes open, breath still rushing through her lungs. "Can't we just  _not_  swim in your neighbor's pool?" she practically whined.

"No.  _My_  pool's not clean yet. Theirs is. And I  _wants_  to gets my pools on."

"And I can't just sit here, behind the fence, and just  _listen_  to you having fun  _because_  - ?"

"Because you're being fucking  _ridiculous_ ," Santana groaned, leaning back and glaring at her. "Jesus Christ, Berry. Do you  _want_  us to get caught? My neighbors might be on vacation, but my whole  _street_  isn't. So hurry up and  _stop talking_  and raise one leg over the fence. Then sit on it and drop down. It's not even that far of a drop! And I already  _told_  you, I'll be here to steady you, or whatever."

Inhaling, Rachel pressed her forehead to the top of the fence. "You say that when someone  _you_  like is standing topless in front of you," she said under her breath, then lifted up, staring down at Santana. "I'm trusting you!" she said loudly, hands already tightening on the top of the fence in preparation of lifting her leg, "You better not let me hurt myself!"

"Yeah, yeah." Santana waved her hands toward herself. "Just come  _down_  here already."

Her ankle slowly hooking on the top of the fence, followed by a slow, pained grunt as she used her core to put her other leg up, closer to her arms with a kind of slow, clumsy roll, Rachel  _almost_  made it into a sitting position. Instead, her heel slipping down the wood as she preemptively pushed forward, hands scrabbling at the uncomfortable surface before she reflexively moved away in fear of catching splinters, Rachel only had enough time to scream as she plummeted…

…Straight down onto Santana, face smashing into Santana's naked shoulder as her arms lifted, attempting to stop her before she crashed down into the ground.

Still, Santana somehow managed not to be knocked down, hands clapping onto each side of Rachel's sides as she flexed down, grunting as the full weight of Rachel dropped onto her.

Having expected her face or other sensitive body part to slam into the ground instead, Rachel gasped in shock, blinking as she tried to determine if any part of her had been damaged, the ringing in her ears from Santana's shoulder only making that a bit more difficult to figure out.

"Fucking.  _Hell_ ," Santana exhaled, voice gravelly as she pushed Rachel away to make her balance on her own two legs, being kind enough to keep her hands on her. " _Jesus_. Were you  _trying_  to kill me?"

Rachel stared at her dumbly, eyes drifting down before she sluggishly snatched them back up, meeting Santana's dark gaze. "What? No. What? I… Of  _course_  I wasn't!  _How_  would that have benefited me - in  _any_  way? And I resent the implication that  _any_  of that was planned. I'm still trying to recover from overwhelming embarrassment here, I assure you." She pushed back from Santana, only swaying a little as Santana's hands dropped from her waist, the taller girl stepping back from her as well.

Santana studied her darkly, arms crossing over her chest. "Yeah. Whatever. Don't care." She turned, heading back towards the pool she'd been focused on, only pausing at the place her clothes were discarded to add her panties to the mix. Then, fully naked, she padded over to the pool, stopping to look over her shoulder at Rachel. "Well?" she smirked, voice lilting, goading, almost insulting, "Gonna join me or not, Twinkle Toes?" Without waiting for a response, she turned and dove in.

Listening to the resulting slap of water against the side of the pool, Rachel bit her lip and looked down, hands nervously moving through and pushing her hair back from her face. "Ohh goodness. Ohh goodness. Just relax. You can relax.  _Relax_."

(Tumblr tags: honestly in the excitement of almost dying rachel had (almost) forgotten, about WHY she and santana were trespassing in the first place, and maybe part of her had hoped santana would forget too, because rachel had never promised she'd be skinny dipping too, only that she would accompany santana on her impulsive 'caper', and MAYBE - that's MAYBE - if she felt safe enough and trusted the cleanliness of, santana's neighbor's pool enough she would join her, but she'd never said ANYTHING about getting naked, no no nothing at all about getting naked, she certainly hadn't had years of cheerios to inure her to being so casually undressed, normal average high school gym class only did so much, as well as being comfortable in oftentimes risque outfits during performances, and with quick costume changes in front of castmates, and the other glee girls, - but that was for her art, this was..., this was getting naked in front of santana, getting naked WITH santana, something very very VERY different, (i have been working on this TOO long - hours long - and it's time to just shove it out, ugh, i only needed to finish it up and rework some parts... and ended up getting, more and more picky and particular, i HATE when my brain hyperfocuses like that))

* * *

#217:

Rachel honestly thought Santana looked more attractive in her Bully Whip outfit than she had any right to.

(Tumblr tags: her appreciation warred with her righteous fury on kurt's behalf, it was distracting and annoying and frankly very mean, (not to mention inconvenient for her compulsive need to stay angry at santana, attractive people had a tendency of overriding her irritation))

* * *

#218:

Knowing the only way to get herself situated inside Santana and Dani's relationship was by seducing either one or the both of them at the same time, Rachel, feeling a little unsure of her ability to successfully hold herself in front of Santana just yet, as well as handle the release of long-repressed emotions, set her sights on Dani first.

(Tumblr tags: (sorry sorry i couldn't help it, i've been drowning in dantanchel feels lately, and it's all lightbluenymphadora's fault, ;p))

* * *

#219:

Courtesy of a guest thinker anon:

Santana and Rachel get in a fight over something and since it is (mostly) her fault, Santana sings a super cheesy song like If I Could Turn Back Time to Rachel.

(Tumblr tags: you know she would, maaaaaybe not in front of the gleek losers, (as she has her pride, even then), but definitely where and when she can show off, her sensitive and self aware and apologetic girlfriend self, while (mostly) honestly apologizing)

/

And here's a bonus add-on comment by pauladeroma:

_she probably sing it under Rachel's balcony. Rachel would dig the romantic gesture._

/

And here's a bonus add-on comment by me:

_Yessss. After she made sure Rachel's dads weren't home, either, of course. Both to save face, allow her to be more vulnerable… And make it possible for a fun makeup._

/

pauladeroma again:

_She even climb the three next to the balcony, so she can get through the window. Rachel is eager to pull her inside._

/

Me:

_**Very** eager. She has to do  **something** with her pent up emotion that singing didn't fully ease. (And since it was Santana's fault… It was only proper she help.)_

* * *

#220:

Coming upon Santana frantically scrabbling and pawing at her suitcases, Rachel inhaled, hands to her chest. "Santana!" she gasped, staring at the slim girl at her feet, " _What_  are you doing?" This was surely not what she expected to find her newest roommate doing.

Santana looked up at her, eyes dark, lips pursed, and with shock, Rachel realized she was tearing up, swaying even on her bent knees, the flats of the top of her feet flat to the ground. "It's not here," she hissed, words thick like molasses, shoulders bowing as she dropped her attention back down, hands quickly moving through and panicky along her belongings; tears solidified in her voice, "It's not here!"

Watching her gingerly, Rachel skirted around until she was in front of Santana, gaze trying to take in her frantic search. "What are you looking for?" she tried to ask neutrally, let Santana steam down. That's what she was supposed to do, right?

"My last - " Santana hiccuped, a thin arm coming up to wipe across her eyes, "My last pr-present from Brittany."

 _Oh_.

Rachel exhaled, shoulders almost dropping. She'd been expecting this, drunk Santana or not. Santana and Brittany were storied, intense. Even if they'd broken up before Santana showed up in New York, pushing her way into their loft without warning, there had been little chance she would have really been over her.

Rachel crouched down, hands curling before she reached out, settling them around Santana's shoulders. "Santana," she smiled, loud enough to be heard and to make Santana look up at her, slow enough to be understood, "Take a moment. Where do you remember being in with it last?"

And, haltingly, better than she would have ever thought she'd be, dealing with a distraught, drunken Santana, Rachel walked her newest roommate through finding her missing, cherished, present.

It was small, cute, easily lost between Santana's hands as she clutched it to herself… But it made Santana, tears still thick upon her eyelashes, smile.

So yeah, Rachel thought, hands close to her chest again as she watched the former cheerleader, the both of them more relaxed than they'd been when she'd first initially come upon Santana, maybe she  _was_  equipped for having someone like Santana as her roommate after all.


	23. Chapter 23

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #221:

Courtesy of guest thinker pauladeroma:

It was their second year living together, and their first dating. It was near Rachel's birthday, and when Santana asked her what she wanted, Rachel just smiled and said she was everything she wanted. Santana kept asking the same thing in the following days, but she always heard the same response, so after four days she just shrugged and decided that Rachel was telling the truth.

Oh boy, was she ever wrong? When the day came and she had bought her just a blouse (because she thought she was being such a good girlfriend buying her a present when Rachel said she didn't want any), Rachel looked so hurt that Santana felt like kicking herself. It took lots of "sorrys", small thoughtful gifts, and orgasms to get Rachel to forgive her.

(Tumblr tags: i love this, and i can totally see it happening, thanks!)

* * *

#222:

Rachel pushed Santana into the wall, shoving her leg between her thighs and attacking her neck with hard, sharp bites.

Santana groaned, her eyes rolling back in her head as she pulled Rachel harder into her, "God! Fuck me!"

"That's the plan," Rachel husked, dragging her lips up Santana's jaw to kiss her silent, "As well as…" Suddenly, another pair of hands curled around Santana's hips as Dani's body settled into Rachel's back, "…You mind?"

Santana moaned, "Ohh, this is  _so_  going to happen."

(Tumblr tags: inspired by my recent descent back into dantanchel, *grins*, i went back and looked through my prompts and bits word file, and look what i found..., XD)

* * *

#223:

Rachel had grabbed Santana's lipstick by mistake. Stopping with half the color slashed across her lips, she dropped back, looking at herself in the mirror.

* * *

#224:

This is an AU (made up of 50 and 75 word drabbles) that was started about five years ago (I can't believe it's been  _five_   _years_!) that started with Quinntana!Quinn mermaid and continued with Pezberry!Rachel mermaid, which I've always planned on continuing in some way. But since I've been stymied for so long, I figured it wouldn't hurt posting them as an RPTOTD instead. Who knows? Maybe that will jump start things again?

*

Coughing, her throat screaming with the burning of regurgitated sea water, Santana dug at the salt caking her eyes.

"Here," a musical voice whispered, cooling fresh water suddenly pouring down over her forehead, "Just relax. Please."

Jerking, blinking, as soon as she could, Santana looked into beautiful, haunting hazel eyes.

*

Rachel bobbed with the swell, gripping tightly to the sunken rock. Even as her vision distorted with each wave, she didn't look away from the beach.

They had seen the stranger at the same time. Dove at the same time. But Quinn lived in the light, and Rachel the shadows.

*

The stranger was sleeping, curled up into herself against the cliff wall, shaking and shivering at the wind off the ocean. Surfacing behind Quinn, Rachel clutched a sodden, snarled piece of fabric to her chest. "She's cold. If this dries, maybe she'll…"

Quinn whipped around, tail hitting Rachel's. "Get lost!"

*

Santana woke to someone pressing something around her body. Jerking, gagging as she inhaled crusted salt, small hands pushed against her arms. "Please," a soft voice whispered, "Calm down. I'm trying to help. You're, you were cold, and this…"

Deep brown eyes glowed in the dark above her, dusky pale skin and glittering fish scales reflecting the moonlight. "You're new," Santana croaked.

Slowly, almost shyly, the sirena's plump lips parted in a fanged, shimmering smile.

*

The stranger jerked away, hands coming up under the fabric.

Flinching, shifting back in the sand, Rachel's mouth opened. "Are… Are you okay?" she asked earnestly, tail curling back, "Or are you still cold…?"

Dark eyes reflected the moonlight. The stranger's mouth opened, then closed. Her fingers curled in the air. "The other one doesn't have fangs…" she murmured.

Rachel flinched again, eyes closing. She slithered back.

"Hey."

Rachel ignored her, still slipping back.

"Hey!?"

(Tumblr tags: i think there was an anon who suggested i use this 'verse, as an rptotd, so thank you anon for keeping this at the back of my mind!)

* * *

#225:

_Be careful, you are easily tempted._

Looking up from the fortune to Santana sitting across from her, Rachel bit her lip.

(Tumblr tags: 'so what's yours say?', 'nothing interesting!', it also works conversely too!)

* * *

#226:

This is a summary (with a few tweaks) for a fic that I'd always meant to write (…originally posted six years ago) that had been inspired by/heavily influenced by/based on the 2001 movie America's Sweethearts, which, while not the best movie in the world, was sufficiently amusing. And gave me this idea. My RPTOTD collection is the perfect place for it, methinks.

Rachel Berry and Finn Hudson had been America's Sweethearts, the cinematic duo who had broken box office records and the expectations of a real life Hollywood marriage until the day Rachel met the hot up-and-coming fellow Jewish actor named Noah "Puck" Puckerman. Rugged, brash, and muscled in all the right places, he'd offered her everything Finn wasn't, and she'd barely hesitated before jumping into his arms. The resulting scandal had been explosive and ugly and personal, rag magazines and programs practically making their livings off of the daily war. In the end, it had been only the inexhaustible mechanizations of their shared agent Kurt Hummel that guaranteed the once Golden Couple's careers hadn't been ruined beyond repair.

Now, a year and a half later, Rachel and her estranged husband Finn are forced to spend a weekend press junket together to produce publicity for the last movie they had completed together. Quickly becoming a complete disaster as she has to deal with the dreadfully possessive locking of horns between Puck and Finn and the ever present interference of the press, it gets even worse when a familiar face in the form of Santana Lopez, Finn's incredibly competent assistant, threatens to disrupt everything she'd tried to run away from.

Because with one look at the beautiful woman who'd used to be one of her best friends, all the old questions she'd buried were dug up. Questions like: was it really Finn she'd needed out of her life? And out of the thousands of gorgeous male co-stars she'd worked with, why had it been Puck,  _then_ , that had seemed so attractive? And perhaps, more importantly, why one simple touch of Santana's hand makes Rachel feel something her husband or Puck never have…?

(Tumblr tags: good intentions that never bore fruit...)

* * *

#227:

This was originally posted under the name I love thedeadflag, showing off a back-and-forth we'd done I particularly enjoyed. Then 14andtaller-than-elise3auman reblogged with amazing tags, and the rest, as they say, is history. :D

 **purrpickle  
** …I just had the thought of Santana, forced in close to Rachel, with one of her first thoughts being that Rachel's nightly routine smelled fucking GOOD on Rachel's skin.

There was no way Rachel was allowed to smell so good. It. Was. RUDE.

**thedeadflag**

It was rude and obscene and maybe she'd put on a totally appropriate display of aggression like physical intimidation via standing close to Rachel and being in her space. To non-verbally express how rude she felt it all was, and definitely not to, you know, be able to smell her better.

**14andtaller-than-elise3auman**

#YOU SMELL GOOD OKAY AND ITS FUCKING RUDE #…what are you talking about #your fucking night routine smells fucking good on you #and you cant smell that good and not expect me to want to smell you #fuck berry youre standing too far #no totally definitely not to smell her better #and this happened every night #no matter how stupid it was #santana always tried to pick a fight just to get closer to rachel #rachel would obviously get tired of it #calling santana out #which santana would try to dodge and say she didnt know what she was talking about #until rachel pushed it for an hour straight #and santana just yells #to which rachel replies with a confused face #to which santana responds #it either gets really awkward after that#really cheesy #or #santana is still pissed with her arms crossed #as rachel tries to understand what was going on #and santana just goes #and goes to hug her just to smell her more

(Tumblr tags: perfect)

* * *

#228:

When Rachel announced, "I am touch starved and you're going to help me," standing in front of Santana's bed with a blanket wrapped around herself, spaghetti straps obvious but only silky, naked skin from her thighs down, Santana paused, the magazine she'd been reading dipping to her lap.

Santana looked at her, studying her behind her glasses, "Who are you and what have you done to Rachel Berry?"

"Nothing," Rachel responded, chin up as she walked around to the right side of the bed, moving in even as Santana moved back, giving her room; sliding onto the bed, her blanket dropping to the floor near the bed skirt, Rachel waited for Santana's gaze to stop taking her in. "I'm just… Letting myself be vulnerable."

Below her spaghetti strap shirt, Rachel had on sheer, small pajama shorts, and Santana, taking her reading glasses off to set on the bedside table, put her hand out, tracing along Rachel's calf. When Rachel only shivered, lips parting, Santana opened her hand, settling it onto her knee.

"You only want touching?" Santana asked, head tilting, eyes dark. "Cuddling?"

"I… Yes," Rachel responded, her pause the only sign she was a little nervous. When Santana just watched her, not moving, Rachel put her hand on hers, curling around it. "Yes. Please."

Santana nodded, then smiled. "Relax," she leaned forward, affectionately bumping her shoulder against Rachel's, "This is supposed to be fun, right?"

Rachel blinked, then laughed, body loosening. "Yeah. Yes." She looked down, smiling, then met Santana's eyes again. "You're right. Thank you."

Her hand sliding up Rachel's leg as she shifted up, body settling down behind Rachel's, spooning her, Santana waited for Rachel to relax into her before draping her arm over her. "'S'all good. Though, I've got one question: we gonna stay over the covers or what?"

Rachel giggled.

"What? A girl's gotta know! It gets cold in here!"

(Tumblr tags: fortunately for santana, it wasn't as cold with rachel in her arms, perhaps rachel knew what she was doing after all)

* * *

#229:

This is inspired by one of those 'drag a gif and find out your "etc etc"' things - this one being how on point characters in fanfiction are at figuring out what their love interest smells like. I got honey, soft rain, and recklessness, and I responded to the spirit it was in in kind. :D

Santana smelled like honey to Rachel. Like soft rain, as if Rachel was walking through the dewy, damp forest she'd spent a winter break in five years ago. That trip had made an impression on her, one that threatened to swirl up whenever she got close enough to Santana to notice it. It was before the experience of puberty had set in, and the reality of what her life was going to be like as a teenager with two fathers and an unwillingness to apologize for who she was. It was reassuring, warm, exciting, and mixed with a last hint of something  _reckless_ that made Rachel's eyes draw to Santana whenever she was near.

(Too bad the girl hated her - Rachel was running out of excuses to get close enough to smell her during glee.)

(Tumblr tags: do i actually think this seriously?, no, but it's fun to get all cheesy and 'faux-deep' sometimes, :D)

* * *

#230:

Santana fell in love with Rachel through her baking.


	24. Chapter 24

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #231:

The silent treatment Santana got from emptying the coffee pot before Rachel got to it - it wasn't  _her_  fault Rachel insisted on using her elliptical  _far_ into the time Santana was already awake and craving the caff'! - had been very, very,  _very_  annoying before Santana had given in and started brewing more  _just_ for the Princess Berry's use.

(Tumblr tags: HONESTLY, santana hadn't ever figured herself going to be ANNOYED by rachel not talking, but there it was, A-NNOY-ING, and, it, wasn't, fair)

* * *

#232:

Rachel mumbled sleepily as Santana wrapped around her, "You came to bed."

Santana nodded, kissing her shoulder. "I didn't drink, either," she said quietly.

There was a pause, and then Rachel, already falling back to sleep, pressed back into her.

(Tumblr tags: this hinted at 'verse hurts me, in all the worst, and best, ways)

/

And here's an add-on by lightbluenymphadora:

_Dear purrpickle,_

_You've managed to hurt my soul. So clearly I have to continue this._

_This night marks two years. Two years since Santana's grandmother passed away. At first, Rachel hadn't said anything. It wasn't like Santana was getting blackout wasted after all. And Santana was actually a pretty sweet drunk. In Rachel's darker moments, she sometimes wondered if she would've insisted that Santana get help sooner if the older woman had been abusive. But she hadn't said anything. A few drinks each night…well, it hadn't seemed bad at the time. Until Rachel found out about the day drinking. Santana stopped coming to bed, afraid to let Rachel see her drunk._

_It had been a completely unrelated hospital visit - appendicitis - when the nurse took Rachel aside and spoke quietly to her. She'd handed her a few pamphlets, and her number, and told Rachel to call if she had any questions or needed help. Rachel had expected a fight, when she talked to Santana after surgery. Instead, Santana just looked defeated._

_So that night, two years later, Rachel felt a peace she hadn't thought possible even a month before._

_And Santana, who had been afraid that Rachel would pull away, just feels relief._

(My tumblr tags: OW, but perfect)

* * *

#233:

" _Fuck_ , Rachel!" Santana snarled, "We broke up! You're not  _allowed_  to be jealous anymore!"

(Tumblr tags: if i had the time and motivation..., so instead i'm putting this out there for everyone if they be so inclined, (still i might do something with this one day, hopefully))

* * *

#234:

This is a random prompt I shared five years ago, but now seems like a good time to repost it under my RPTOTD flag - still as a prompt, obviously. :D

"…Are Rachel and Santana dating?" Brittany wondered out loud in the middle of stealing a french fry from Artie's plate. "What?" she asked in innocence at everyone's abrupt whiplash towards her, biting into it, "They're totally having sex.

"No. Wait." She paused her chewing, wrinkling her nose in thought, "I forgot. Sex isn't dating." She shrugged, then stole another fry. "Oh well."

(Tumblr tags: oh brittany, :D)

* * *

#235:

This is something I wrote immediately after 4x13, Diva, aired. Heh. (I… Don't think I posted it anywhere else? So in my RPTOTDs it goes.)

 **Santana:**  I'm moving in.

 **Rachel:**  …

 **Inside Rachel's head:**  *rips off her sweater, throwing her arms open and thrusting out her chest* FINALLY! Come and get it! We'll share my bed!

 **Inside Rachel's head:**  Now you will notice me! Three years! 42 days of non-stop flirting you always missed! But now. NOW.

 **Inside Rachel's head:**  WE ARE LIVING TOGETHER AND I AM TOO TEMPTING AND NUBILE FOR YOU.

 **Inside Rachel's head:**  HAVE MY BABIES!

 **Rachel:**  *smiles brightly* Just don't touch my food, and we'll be fine.

(Tumblr tags: but look how it all turned out instead..., *whispers* we could have had it alllllllllll)

* * *

#236:

Santana got her start as a Vine star, smoothly making the transition into wildly popular Youtube Vlogger.

Rachel was first a common foil in her vines, then a familiar face in her vlogs as Santana's roommate and member of her "crew". Though her diva ways were made fun of often, Santana never denied her talent, and even gave Rachel a platform to perform on, Myspace practically defunct.

It wasn't long before fans soon started furiously debating when/if they were going to/were already date/dating.

(Tumblr tags: santana first thought it was funny (and absurd), rachel sighed that that was show business, but soon, behind the protests and denials, both started playing it up)

* * *

#237:

lightbluenymphadora reblogged a photoset of a fancy, gorgeous treehouse cabin/s on tumblr. (Now, note, when I sent it back to her, I  _was_  more feeling Dantanchel, but still put Pezberry first because, well, I'm me, I guess. XD)

**purrpickle**

Where Pezberry (or Dantanchel) go for vacation. :D

**lightbluenymphadora**

Dantanchel -

They're in the newer months of their OT3ship, and Rachel wants to make sure Dani feels like an equal part of their lives. So she forfeits her turn to plan their vacation. Dani picks this place to go to.

At first, when they're driving through the woods, Rachel and Santana are both thinking, "Oh god, she's taking us camping," but then they get to the hotel and they're like, "CABIN TREEHOUSES? YAS!"

**purrpickle**

Yes yes yes yes yes.

(Tumblr tags: (woo this is going to be fun translating for fic posting!), no but seriously, go look at that photoset (you can find the original post on my blog if you want), then think dani and rachel and santana, it's PERFECT, including rachel and santana worrying about camping, XD, thank you!)

* * *

#238:

This is inspired by the phrase, well, "Dip me in honey and throw me to the lesbians!" and skewed in a very different direction. XD

"C'monnnnnn, Santana! Help introduce me to the  _lesbians_!"

Santana's hand wrapped in the back of Rachel's thin sweater, stopping her with a jerk from entering the gay bar she'd been shuffling towards all night since the group they'd been with had decided originally on the club down the street. "Whoah! Cool your obnoxiously annoying jets, hobbit!" she barked, probably having been laughing if Rachel hadn't been annoying all night. "God." She swung Rachel around, ignoring her glare, hand sliding along her lower neck as she kept her hold on her sweater, "Why do you even want  _lesbians_ , anyway? Wouldn't, let's be real,  _experimenting chicks_ ,  _bisexuals,_ or fellow disgraced  _garden gnomes_  be more your speed?"

Rachel blinked up at her. " _You're_ a lesbian, aren't you?"

"What?"

"A lesbian. I said you're a lesbian." Rachel nodded, smiling up at her, hand clumsily patting her shoulder as Santana's grasp threatened to ease up completely, "And  _you're_ so…"

"So what?" Santana asked hallowly, staring at her.

Rachel frowned. "You know." Her hands flew out. "Amazing. Attentive. Beautiful." She leaned forward, almost wagging her finger in Santana's face. "When you really feel it, Santana, really  _like_  - or  _love_  - someone…" Rachel's face relaxed, beamed up at her, "You're… You're totally  _in_. Devoted. And that's… That's so… I don't think you realize how rare you really are."

Barely registering the rest of Rachel's mumbled speech about how Brittany, Rachel's other real-life example of a woman loving woman, didn't seem to hold the same kind of gravity that Rachel was now looking for in a relationship - admittedly from Rachel's lesser personal knowledge and certainly not a knock against bisexuals, seeing as she was beginning to figure out she was most likely one as well - heat bloomed on the highs of Santana's cheeks, and she grunted, looking away. "Whatever! God. Stop talking already. Don't get your panties wet." She dropped her hand, her chin jerking kinetically towards the door of the club she'd just stopped Rachel from entering. "Fine. Go on in already. Find your lesbian ' _princess'_ , as butch as she'll probably end up being. I'll join you in a bit."

"In a  _bit_?" Rachel looked up at her, brow furrowing. "Aren't you going in  _with_  me?"

But Santana waved her off. "Yeah, yeah. Soon. But first," she dug inside her purse, 'ahah!'ing as her hand wrapped around her almost depleted pack of cigars, "I'mma need some alone time." Knowing it would make Rachel leave the area, as well as wanting the tobacco to settle her nerves after what Rachel had just revealed, she only smirked as Rachel, even while drunk, sighed violently, judgmentally, and almost stomped her way inside the bar after she held the pack, and her lighter, up.

God. Santana's hands wavered as she lit the first cigar she'd had in months.

She'd been ready to help Rachel experience her first gay bar. Maybe help her flirt with some harmless women (until Rachel realized just how painfully and regrettably straight she was) - as well as get herself some phone numbers - but she hadn't expected this. Not Rachel's deep, doe eyes. Nor her assertion on Santana's own dating worth.

Not that Santana  _needed_  the reassurance. She was hot stuff. Had always  _been_  hot stuff. Doubly so once she'd accepted her sexuality.

Still.

Santana inhaled, holding her breath as her hand holding the cigar moved up, fingers trembling as she tucked some hair behind her ear; after a few months, her lungs burned, making her exhale before she meant to.

Fuck.

 _Fuck_.

(Tumblr tags: cigars - a guaranteed way to keep rachel away)

* * *

#239:

This is a headcanon thingy lightbluenymphadora and I back-and-forthed.

**lightbluenymphadora**

So let's start with something easy. Holidays.

Santana has to unlearn extravagance. She goes immediately to big, showy presents, but realizes that Rachel is (arguably) happier with small things as long as they're thought out. So the flash mob from their first Valentine's day is scaled down to a snowy walk and dinner the next year. She can tell Rachel loves it, and thinks more about how to make things intimate.

**purrpickle**

…Though she won't say no to getting serenaded in big, sweeping romantic performances. (Santana swears she loves the more private, intimate songs more but won't say so because she has an almost need to show off her relationship in flashy, showy ways - and honestly? Aside from the times it gets a little tiring - Santana's a showy bitch too, sometimes - Santana gets it. Rachel wants to show she's lovable, refute the general impression all throughout her childhood and high school.)

It honestly took Santana a while to figure out the difference between holiday extravagance and general relationship extravagance, then finally settled on what was more "private" versus "public", and figured she'd smooth over any ruffled feathers if she got anything wrong.

**lightbluenymphadora**

They share a love of obscure holidays because they're an excuse to do weird/fun shit. They volunteered at a dog shelter for National Puppy Day. They experimented with body paint ( "I LOOK LIKE A SMURF, RACHEL!") for Flag Day. They filled their house with a fucking jungle for Houseplant Appreciation Day.

**purrpickle**

The plants only stayed for a week before Santana was griping about how bending over to water all of the needy green devils was hurting her lower back, especially since Rachel was in and out so early and late due to play rehearsals and couldn't -  _wouldn't_ , Santana'd snipe - help out.

Finding homes for all of them  _hadn't_  been fun, and yeah, they ended up keeping one or two of the small ones that fit on windowsills and tables and places where Santana  _didn't_  have to bend over or strain herself to water. Going along with that, the rule became only  _one_  new plant a year, and a wheelbarrow more for long suffering friends and families.

**lightbluenymphadora**

Speaking of living things that are in their house…let's move on to the next topic. Pets.

This time it's firmly Santana's fault. She's working at Columbia as an admissions counselor after she graduates. One of the students who works in the office brings her three fish. This opens the floodgates.

**purrpickle**

Rachel was initially amused, charmed by Santana's glee about the three fish, and happily listened to Santana's plans about how to take care of them. When Santana's comments turned to tanks and water systems and building a freestanding aquarium that could easily get bigger, well…

**lightbluenymphadora**

"TURTLES, SANTANA?"

"Listen, I know what you're thinking…."

They name the turtles Fiyero, Glinda, and Elphie. The fish change names each week. Rachel puts her food down when Santana asks for jellyfish for her birthday.

**purrpickle**

Pouting for a second, Santana nods and laughs, pulling Rachel in for a kiss. "Okay, you're right. No jellyfish. But what do you think about crabs?"

**lightbluenymphadora**

Rachel relents and allows two hermit crabs to join the family. She thinks that's the end of it, until she comes home one day in the summer.

"Santana."

"Yes, princess? Can I take your coat? You look gorgeous today. How was school?" Santana trails off, shuffling nervously in front of her girlfriend.

"Why is there an octopus in my house? HOW is there an octopus in my house?"

**purrpickle**

All in all, Rachel just felt lucky that her girlfriend mainly stuck to aquatic animals. Those didn't upset her fragile immune system with dander, and were - aside from that darn, too smart for its own good, _octopus_  - confined to one place.

But there was  _no_ way Santana was going to get rid of Isis (named for the captain of the East Compton Clovers, of course). And even if Rachel complained about her, there was no way she was going to ask Santana to get rid of her either. Just, " _Nothing_ more than an octopus, Santana! I mean it!"

Santana definitely put some plans on the back burner after that.

* * *

#240:

Sometimes Santana thinks that if circumstances had been different, the loft with Kurt and Rachel could have ended up being home.


	25. Chapter 25

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #241:

While Rachel loved the rain, thunder made her anxious. Santana was the only person Rachel knew who could make fun of her for it but make her feel better at the same time.

* * *

#242:

Unable to stop herself inhaling sharply as Santana stalked closer to her, Rachel's heart pounded. The other girl's eyes were dark, predatory, voice purring as she cupped Rachel's shoulders, holding her in place as she stepped even closer, pressing their chests together. " _Berry_ …"

Rachel gasped, eyes darting down, then shooting back up as Santana's hand wrapped around the back of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair. "S-San," she whimpered.

Santana smirked, leaning in, plush lips pursing close to Rachel's. "Berry, Berry, Berry," she husked, turning her head, lips sliding along Rachel's cheekbone, body pressing up against hers, "I've seen you looking…"

"A-at you?" Rachel licked her lips. She had to close her eyes, focusing on not pushing forward,  _into_  Santana. "I… I haven't." She prayed it sounded even halfway believable.

Santana's lips turned up, tongue darting out to lick Rachel's earlobe, Rachel gasping and shivering, hands curling tightly at Santana's waist. As sharp teeth latched on that same earlobe, she squeaked and jerked. "S- _San_!"

"I'mma tell you something," Santana purred, hand sliding down Rachel's neck and upper chest, making Rachel whimper again.

"Wh-what?"

Santana smirked. Nuzzled her ear. Then inhaled again, chest pressing harder against Rachel. Her voice was positively sinful, searing into Rachel's ears as she bit Rachel's earlobe again, " _I like yeast in my bagel, but not in my muffin_."

…

 _What_?

Jerking awake, it took Rachel a couple of confused moments to realize she was on the couch, legs tangled with Santana's as the TV glowed across from them. Feeling uncomfortably warm and sweaty, as well as very aware of how close Santana was to somewhere awake and pounding, Rachel scrunched her legs up, twisting to sit on the couch properly. Freezing as Santana shifted, mumbling something about, "Hobbit, get out of the vanilla frosting," Rachel stared at the slumbering girl, her heart hammering in her chest, before turning to where an infomercial for Yeast-I-Stat played.

Oh.

Swallowing, Rachel stood up, swayed a bit, spared one more glance at Santana, then hurried as quietly as she could off to her bed.

(Tumblr tags: this scene came to me out of nowhere, so i ran with it, ;p)

* * *

#243:

"The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain!"

Groaning, Santana threw the nearest thing to her - a pencil - at the eager girl pressing in near the classroom's window. "Oh. My.  _God_ , Berry!  _No one'_ sasking you!"

(Tumblr tags: can you tell it's summer and i already miss the rain?, XD)

* * *

#244:

Rachel barely glanced at the bottle of Coca-Cola Santana set down next to her. "That's very sweet of you to bring me a drink," she offered, eyes already back to scanning her script as Santana settled into the seat next to her, her own bottle in front of her, cupped in her hands, "But as you know, I don't drink soda."

"Look at the bottle."

"It's too full of sugars and carbs and, though my dental health is objectively better than it was before I started seeing Dr. Carl, it doesn't mean I want to possibly do any damage to my teeth. However, saying that…"

"Look at the bottle."

"…As I know you have no such compunction, as your dental health, as you've so proudly shared, is perfect, I do not wish to shame you for your love of the beverage." Rachel stopped to turn a page, taking the time to turn her head to smile at Santana. "So please, go ahead and enjoy it for yourself. I will still appreciate the sentiment. Thank you, Santana. Though, if you'd like, I wouldn't say  _no_  to a nice iced tea or iced water instead…"

" _Rachel_. Can you just  _look_  at the bottle?"

The surprise at the actual use of her name caused Rachel to blink and look down; then, registering the label on the bottle, she blinked and looked back up, lips parted.

Santana's hands were curled deceptively tightly around the bottom of a Coke bottle that  _also_  read Girlfriend.

"I…" Rachel licked her lips and gazed at Santana. The other girl's expression was tense, eyes dark, and as Rachel watched, she inhaled through her nose, body wavering. "Does this suggest… What I think it does?"

It was Santana's turn to lick her lips. She rolled her shoulders up, a hand disengaging to push her hair behind her ear. "You know, I didn't expect you to  _drink_  the soda. I just, when I saw them, I had to buy them before I lost my nerve. You know? It seemed so… Perfect."

"Spur of the moment perfect?" Rachel asked quietly.

Santana nodded. "Yeah." Then, after a beat, with Rachel breathing deeply as she studied her, Santana almost laughed, shaking her head. " _Yes_ , Berry. It means what you think it means."

Squealing, and then squealing again after slapping her hands over her mouth, Rachel nodded energetically, barely managing a few moments before she was up and out of her chair, skirting around the table to jump onto Santana's lap. " _Yes_! Yes!" Luckily, Santana had pushed back in preparation, so there was nothing keeping Rachel's arms from wrapping around her shoulders, her legs closing tight around her legs, and then Rachel, practically vibrating, waited expectantly.

"You're on me," Santana stated, squeezing Rachel's waist, "God, you're a weirdo." Belying her tone, her eyes were twinkling, and Rachel only nodded, smiling and biting her lower lip.

Santana easily sucked that lower lip into her mouth a second later.

Later, when Santana reached for the Coca-Cola she had originally set in front of her, Rachel abruptly yelped a "No!", making Santana's hand jerk to a stop. "No," she repeated more softly, flushing, the soda now safely in her grasp, "I, I want to keep this."

"But you don't want to drink it," Santana smiled.

Raising her chin, smiling bashfully just before Santana's mouth settled over hers again, Rachel agreed. "No, no I don't."

(Tumblr tags: it is SHAMEFUL how long this one took me to just FINISH, i've had the idea since coke had announced they were doing their summer name thing again, XD)

* * *

#245:

Santana always smoked when she drank.

Santana drank whenever she had the money.

Rachel wished she did neither.

* * *

#246:

Santana seriously loved Rachel. She just… Didn't like her sometimes.

The feeling was mutual.

(Tumblr tags: fortunately in some universes they worked at it, made time and talked to each other, tried, and grew stronger for it, unfortunately in other universes it wasn't worth it, or they didn't care enough, or they were too young and they fell apart, moved on, and let each other go, in some more universes they never started, never went past friends, or never took a chance, a moot point, and in the last more disturbing sad universes, they ignored it and let it fester, hurt, continue, and never get better, these tags of course are assuming romantic love for the majority of them, the sentiment still works for platonic love as well however, and works for THEM particularly platonically as well, (i swear i'm not trying to make all my latest rptotds negative!, it's just what i've come up with between fic ones, XD)

* * *

#247:

While she'd had suspicions before, the moment Rachel stepped in close, hand wrapping around Santana's wrist of the hand that held the batter spoon, leaning in and licking the dollop of vegan whipped cream that Santana'd taste tested only a moment before from the corner of her mouth, Santana knew she hadn't been reading the signs wrong.

(Tumblr tags: of course she'd just stood there, staring with her mouth open at the other girl, as she blushed but smiled beatifically up at her, before turning and practically skipping out of the kitchen with a 'can't wait!' wafting after her, 'goddamn smug little... sexy hobbit')

* * *

#248:

The blind date her cousins had set up for her when she went to visit them for the Summer, with someone they said would be  _perfect_ for her, a teenage girl her age in one of the other summer houses down the lane whose personality was apparently a perfect match for Rachel's intensity and tendency towards self absorption, had certainly not been what Rachel had expected.

" _Santana_?"

(Tumblr tags: 'fuck me' santana groaned leveling an annoyed flat glare onto her, 'nuh uh no i am not spending my summer with this incredibly obnoxious dwarf two doors down from me, BREATHING in the same state as her was already too close and now even THAT'S been taken away from me, quick someone give her something shiny so she'll go and bury it in her hoard and leave us alone', 'believe me santana this is in no way ideal for me either, and for god's sake can't you even at least PRETEND to be cordial in front of my family?', i would read the CRAP out of this, 'forced' to hang out together all summer, away from brittany and quinn and finn - who was trying to get back together with rachel, and santana and rachel slowly showing each other who they were away from school, ending up with them dating by the end of the summer, spending time at santana's summer house or rachel's cousins' summer house, with town visits in between and long car drives and the annual summer fair, and dealing with falling in love with all the first times associated with it with the threat of school looming up before them, the CRAP out of it i say, the CRAP)

* * *

#249:

Rachel certainly never expected her junior year of high school to end with Sam and Santana vying for her affections.

(Tumblr tags: (because why not?, someone's feeling the, and then with insanity, feels...))

* * *

#250:

It was there, clear as day. Having followed a Facebook feed, her heart stammering as her lungs constricted at  _I enjoyed our time together,_ and the responding  _Like it's so hard to spend time with you,_  Santana's attempt at keeping an open mind had derailed even further at the text staring up at her as she unlocked her girlfriend's cell.

 _Give me a couple of hours_ , Rachel had responded an hour ago to the text from someone known as J, a text that had consisted of:  _When do you think you'll be able to get away from Santana?_

Santana dropped Rachel's phone. Clattering on the kitchen counter, its screen darkened as it blanked up at her. Still trying to make her lungs inhale a full lung's amount of air, she had to support herself against the granite, turning her head so the tears in her eyes wouldn't overflow.

She'd thought they were good. She'd thought they were happy.

Having not been the smoothest of love stories, nor the most romantic, Santana had still thought they were in a good place. After all, hadn't Rachel just looked at her, eyes bright and cheeks flushed, telling her that she loved her? And hadn't Santana just reached out, cupping her cheek and pulling her in for a laughing, smiling kiss as she said the same back?

Except… Three months in and Rachel was moving behind her back.

Barely turning her head when a noise sounded, announcing Rachel's reentrance into the kitchen, Santana could hardly move for the stiffness in her throat. She set her jaw, fighting against the burning in her eyes.

"You're still in here?" Rachel asked perkily, heading straight for the refrigerator, "Weren't you going to meet me in my room?" Taking out a bottle of iced tea, she took a sip, her eyes crinkling as she smiled at Santana.

Santana couldn't meet her eyes. "I…" Her voice was thick in her chest, weighing down her words.

Rachel paused. "San?" She frowned, moving closer, "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

Pushing away from the counter, Rachel's phone in front of her, Santana whirled so her back hit the edge, her arm wrapped around her waist and her hand covering her mouth. "You're cheating on me?" she rasped, barely managing the words.

Rachel's lips parted, her bottle of iced tea dropping down. "What?"

Santana closed her eyes. Her arm tightened around herself. "Who's  _J_?"

"J?"

" _J_!" Shoving forward, towards Rachel, Santana practically threw Rachel's abandoned phone at her, just soft enough so it barely hit her chest, Rachel's hands coming up fast enough to catch it. "' _Give me a couple of hours_ '," she parroted harshly, "' _To get away from Santana_ '."

Her cheeks whitening, brows tightening, Rachel looked up at Santana. "You looked at my phone?" she whispered.

Santana violently rolled her eyes. " _Yeah_ , I looked at your phone! But only after - - Facebook." She crossed her arms.

"Facebook?"

"Facebook where everyone could see!" Santana hissed. She slashed her hand out. "You're not even trying to hide it!"

"Hide  _what_?" Straightening, Rachel pushed her phone into her pocket, setting her iced tea down a second later; she stepped forward, hands coming up as if to cup Santana's thin shoulders, only stopping, wavering in the air. "I have nothing to hide," she stated. " _Nothing_. And I don't appreciate you looking at my phone,  _either_ , Santana! That's private."

"Is it  _private_?  _Really_?" Santana scoffed. She wasn't willing - or able - to back down. "It was on fucking  _Facebook_!" she snapped. " _Anyone_  can see!" She slashed her hand back towards herself, almost hitting her chest. " _I_  could see!"

Rachel, reaching once again towards her, abruptly dropped her hand, her fingers curling harshly into the hem of her blouse. "See  _what_?"

" _You cheating on me_.  _Jesus_ , Rachel!" Santana rasped out again, tears overflowing,  _finally_  falling, "It was all there!" She thumped her hand violently against herself, this time actually impacting her chest, "Getting away from me - flirting -  _just like you_  - enjoying your ' _time together_ ' and  _needing_  - " Her voice broke, her words hollow in her chest, "Needing to see each other again without me - " She choked, her voice rising. " _Without me knowing_? I used to cheat  _all the time_ , Rachel! I  _know_ what cheating looks like!"

Santana's words echoed through the kitchen.

Rachel recoiled, her face shuttering.

Unable to stand the non-response vibrating between them, Santana snapped, her hands quickly, painfully, dashing at her eyes so she could just  _look_  at Rachel, eyes burning. " _Well_?"

Rachel inhaled. "I see." Setting her shoulders and raising her head, her eyes were dark, stormy - almost the result of what was past caution, Santana uncomfortably thought - piercing into Santana's. She met Santana's gaze squarely. "Please get out of my house, Santana."

" _What_?"

"Please get out of my house," Rachel repeated flatly, any concern about Santana's emotional state quickly buried, "We'll talk when you've calmed down."

"What the  _fuck_  are you talking about?" Santana spat. She was shaking now, her heart beating out through her breastbone. It felt like this was almost a last ditch effort before their relationship truly crashed and burned. She was terrified. "Talk - talk  _later_?" Her voice rose, almost pulled violently out of her chest, leaving it harsh and panicked -  _mean_ , "You're  _crazy_  if you think we're not going to hash this out  _right here_ ,  _right now!_ "

(Tumblr tags: escorted out of the house by rachel's father, santana could barely stop herself from crying, she was heartbroken and convinced her relationship was over, and barely able to safely make her way home, she ended up falling into a fitful sleep only to be woken up by her phone buzzing, 'i'm not cheating on you' rachel whispered, voice raw and sniffling 'i promise', opening her mouth tears wet in the corners of her eyes santana wanted to believe her, she really really did, (so this has been an ask in the making for YEARS, most of it was written ages ago, i just finally brushed it off and added bits here and there, it was just finally time to let it go, oh santana))


	26. Chapter 26

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #251:

Santana's in a friends with benefits relationship with Quinn, Rachel's roommate. Getting to know the woman during the times she's waiting on the blonde or coming out of the bedroom in the morning, Rachel finds her extremely caustic and cocky - something a drunk Quinn has mumbled about how she's warranted it, due to her performance in bed - but also extremely, despite herself and in rare moments, charming.

(Tumblr tags: compounded by the fact that santana insists on riling rachel up whenever she can, but never making rachel continue to be mad at her for too long..., rachel honestly doesn't know what to do with her, ...she just... sometimes wonders what it would be like to be in quinn's shoes instead of her own, then admonishes herself for finding anything about that romantic in the least, (also - quinntana! huzzah! ;D))

/

And here's a bonus add-on by pauladeroma:

_We all know that it's goung to end with Rachel not being able to not think about Santana. And Santana my find Quinn's roommate adorably annoying… and how can someone so small have legs for days?_

/

Another bonus add-on by me:

_*gif of Santana smiling*_

_Exactly._

* * *

#252:

Rachel stared at Santana, stunned. "You kiss me over  _that_?"

Raising an eyebrow, Santana looked at her. "What? You'd prefer something long drawn out and months from now? 'Cuz I's got to tell you, no me gusta."

"What? No. I…" Rachel's cheeks pinkened, and she looked down, shuffling closer towards Santana as the shock seemed to filter out of her, raising her cheek to accept the kiss Santana laid on it, "…No. You're right. I was just surprised."

Santana smirked, turning Rachel's face up and towards her; leaning in close to kiss her again, she paused with her lips hovering over Rachel's, hand cupping her cheek, "Better get used to enjoyin' the surprise, Berry," she husked, "We're only gettin' started."

(Tumblr tags: a random scene from my odds n' ends doc~, what are they kissing over?, who knows!)

/

And here's a bonus add-on by 14andtaller-than-elise3auman:

_#bruh #they probably kissed #because rachel came out in a skimpy outfit #for an audition #and rachel is freaking out because shes never played a character like that before #and santana is just staring at her #both because of her outfit #and because #how the *hell* can rachel be talking that fast with so little air? #so she says #Rachel! #and once rachel looks at her #santana already has her hands cupping her face #and then just #kisses her_

* * *

#253:

They had fought - something silly, shallow, but full of enough hurt it had kept them apart. Which meant now, coming upon each other in the faint cloud of hazy snowflakes the evening of the Monday before Christmas, it was poignant. Hard. Santana had to avert her eyes for the hollow knowledge her planned gift for her girlfriend was unclaimed and stuffed in her closet.

Rachel shuffled in front of her, face obscured by a large scarf Santana would have sworn was one she'd left at her house earlier that month. The highs of her cheeks were pink - perhaps from getting caught, and she was beautiful.

Santana stuffed her hands into her pockets. "Out for a coffee?" she asked blithely through a tight chest, trying to act cool. After a second, she nodded at the cafe Rachel had just stepped out from.

Rachel reflexively glanced behind her; taking in the storefront, she 'oh'ed, turning back and nodding. "I was," she cleared her throat, "Lonely."

Santana winced. Originally, she had been invited over to work on winter break homework together at Rachel's house, but after the fight, before cooler heads had prevailed, she'd assumed she wouldn't have been welcome.

Apparently, taking in Rachel's strained, pained look, she'd been wrong.

Santana's chest squeezed. "That's… Mmm," she responded, mouth opening but closing. Finally, she shook her head, making her timidity flee. "Did you make a dent?"

Rachel exhaled, breath coalescing in the cold air, having escaped from beneath her scarf. She looked down, hands worrying in front of her, feet almost dancing upon the sidewalk. "Enough," she nodded. Her, 'Without you,' remained unsaid, but understood.

Santana managed a light smile, nodding. "That's… Good," she offered, hands tightening into fists in her pocket. "I…"

"Santana," Rachel stepped forward, cutting her off; she reached up to pull her scarf -  _Santana's_  scarf - down, pink lips quickly getting licked, bolstered. "I would have liked if you'd shown up."

That pierced Santana's chest, and she audibly shivered, nodding. "I just… Didn't think I'd be welcome," she tried, thin shoulders shrugging. "We hadn't talked."

Rachel exhaled again. "You didn't tell me you weren't coming." Though her voice wasn't accusing, it still was difficult to listen to.

"I didn't think I'd be welcome," Santana repeated. Even she could hear how weak that was.

"Why?" Rachel's voice was strong, wounded. "Just because we had a… a fight, o-or didn't see eye-to-eye about something, I would never bar you from my house. Or turn my back on you."

"You make it sound like I was afraid of losing you," Santana offered softly, boldly, throat squeezing. "After having already lost you."

Rachel's eyes widened. "What? No, I - "

Sighing, Santana raised her hands from within her pockets. "I know. I know. It was your dramatics coming through."

"Excuse me," a voice spoke up from behind Santana, and before she knew it, her hand was already on Rachel's wrist, pulling her over, nearer the street and out of the way of the flow of traffic. Normally, she would have led with a snarky comment or pointed remark towards the offending party, but as she had made to pull her hand from Rachel's, she'd slid down it instead, their fingers catching.

Rachel automatically tangled their fingers together, wrapping tightly around her; Santana looked at her, barely cognizant of the man moving past them and into The Lima Bean. "Rache…"

"I missed you today," Rachel spoke, voice trembling. She made to let Santana's hand go, but Santana caught her, not letting it happen.

"I've missed you too." Santana met glistening brown eyes. "Not just today."

Rachel inhaled. Her, "Me too," was quiet.

Santana licked her lips, her eyes averting. "And I'm sorry I stood you up today."

Tugging Santana closer, Rachel wrapped her arms around her, forehead resting against her neck. "I know," she whispered.

She was warm, welcome, and Santana hugged her back, nose burying in her hair. She'd missed this. Missed Rachel. Sure, it hadn't been more than a couple of days, but Santana was used to constant texts and calls when they weren't in physical contact together. And this had been their first "real" fight, not solely spurred on by their dramatic personalities and stubbornness.

"Why were you out today?" Rachel asked, quiet, lips moving along Santana's collar bone. "I mean, here. Downtown."

Santana heh'ed. "Maybe I thought I would run into you." Though jovial, it was heavy enough to be true, and Rachel laughed, forehead sliding down Santana's cheek. She sat back, gazing at Santana with soft, purposeful doe eyes.

Santana caught Rachel's hand, squeezing it and raising it, leaning in to kiss her, slow and passionately. "Come back home with me," she whispered, lips barely pursed in front of Rachel's, "Not for anything  _much_. Just…" She met Rachel's gaze, allowing herself to be vulnerable. "Reconnecting."

Studying her, then looking down and blushing a little, licking her bottom lip, Rachel met her eyes again, and smiled. "I'd like that."

(Tumblr tags: it wasn't all perfect, and they had some things to talk about, (as well as get their homework DONE SANTANA), but it was a good solid start, :D, this is not the one i'd been working on for weeks, but one i'd started months and months ago in my pocket schedule, and finally deemed enough and ready today)

* * *

#254:

It was definitely  _not_  Santana's idea, thank you very much, for her to end up with a dead-to-the-world and drunk Rachel snoring away on her breast during the ferry ride from New York to Canada, but here she was.

(Tumblr tags: but HOW did they get there?, that's for you to decide, (and maybe me in a mad-dash fic at some point :D))

* * *

#255:

"You can do this," Rachel muttered to herself, hands clasping and worrying in front of herself as she gazed at Santana almost ruthlessly yanking her books out of her locker down the hall, the girl taking the time to glare dark eyes at her before swinging around and stalking away, head held high with her just as dark ponytail swinging above the red and white of her Cheerio's top, "Just explain it to her. You did nothing wrong. She'll believe you." She inhaled deeply through her nose, biting her bottom lip and eyes lowering. "She  _has_  to believe you."

(Tumblr tags: another random tidbit in my bits n' pieces doc)

* * *

#256:

This was a prompt I posted six years ago, and am sharing it again because it's perfect for my RPTOTDs.

Pezberry Fanfic Prompt For Someone to Take Up (Please?)

Just got this random idea for a fic that I would love to see someone pick up (if they were so inclined). The song Imagine Me and You just came on, and it reminded me of the amazing movie Imagine Me and You. Then - idea:

Rachel and Finn, engaged for years, finally getting married with Puck as the best man/groom's best friend (come on! how perfect is that?), and, lo and behold, Santana as the florist/caterer/something to do with the wedding ceremony. Rachel and Santana could have already known each other or not (either scenario would be full of dramatic nuggets). Bonus points if Brittany as Santana's best friend happens (can you imagine the grocery store scene?).

I dunno… There's just something that really works for me with Rachel and Santana as Rachel and Luce.

Anyway, I hope someone thinks so too and decides to pick it up. :D

* * *

#257:

It's Dani who helps Santana realize she wants Rachel.

The first time they have sex together, in the morning, as Santana's sitting up, fixing her hair, Dani, already clad in a large shirt and shorts, throws Santana her own shirt and shorts.

"What? You  _want_ me to get dressed?" Santana teases, but easily slides into the clothes, Dani smiling at her as she sits down across from her on the other side of the bed, legs crossed and hands in her lap.

"Figured you'd want to be covered when I tell you you called out Rachel's name last night."

Santana freezes.

"Mmhm," Dani continues, still smiling, shoulders up and unable to not look at least a little resigned, "I'm not surprised you didn't notice, considering what was going on… But babe. My name sounds  _nothing_  at all like hers."

(Tumblr tags: dani didn't see the need to sugarcoat it, sure she could have waited until breakfast or some other more relaxed time, but it didn't feel right stretching it out, as well as having already made up her mind to confront it instead of ignoring it, it was to her own benefit to confront it sooner rather than later, she liked santana - a lot - but she wouldn't try be invested if santana wasn't either, if only to save her own heart)

* * *

#258:

Courtesy of guest thinker pauladeroma:

Living with Santana has proven to be quite… something. Santana is loud, snoopy, and has no filter. Rachel doesn't know how long she and Kurt will be able to put up with the girl, even if Santana is kind of their friend.

But when, during the first thunderstorm hitting New York City since Santana moved in, Rachel curled in her bed and trying to hold back her whimpers, she feels strong arms wrapping around herself from behind, pulling her against a warm body, Rachel finally understands that Santana is exactly where she should be.

(Tumblr tags:thank you!, i loooooooove thiiiiiiiiiis, (as your chat can contest XD), and honestly, i can see this?, santana is physically huggy with rachel - especially after moving in, it's how she shows she cares and how she takes care of her friends, and god now i'm swooning again, these two!, XD)

* * *

#259:

This was a late night ramble inspired by 10 Things I Hate About You.

 **Rachel:**  *dreamily* Santana kissed me.

 **Puck:**  *smirks excitedly* Where?

 **Rachel:**  In the car.

 **Puck:**  *face faults*

 **Rachel:**  *continues innocently* It was before school. She just… Stopped the car and, before turning the car off, she looked at me… And I swear my heart was tripping in my chest because I knew… I  _knew_  what she was going to do!

 **Puck:**  *sighs and mutters* I bet you did. Was it hot?

 **Rachel:**   _Puck_. That's not what's  _important_.

 **Puck:**  So it was. Hot.

 **Rachel:** *sighs harshly but, eventually and reluctantly, nods, blushing* Yes. Yes it was.

(Tumblr tags: (or something like that, late night rambles))

* * *

#260:

"What a  _strangely_ nice shirt for you. I'd love to see it on my floor."

Rachel paused, her neck stiff as she turned to look at the girl who had just spoken to her. "Excuse me?" she asked, voice high, hand pressed to her chest.

Dark eyes grinned at her. "What I said," Santana smirked, gaze falling to go back to watching herself file her nails, "I knows you heard me. Or are you suddenly deaf? I could see that, too. You do, after all…" She blew on her nails, fingers spread before her face, "Sing like a tone-deaf monkey sometimes."

"Just because I was sick this past week," Rachel bristled, "And my track record with being sick sometimes includes becoming momentarily tone-deaf, it doesn't mean I was  _this time_."

Santana chuckled. "Then you heard me," she exhaled, chin tilting, thin eyebrow rising. Her nail file rested lightly in her lap. "So how's'about it, Berry?" she asked, meeting Rachel's gaze solidly, "Want to come over and decorate the floor of my bedroom?"

(Tumblr tags: another odds and ends i spiffied up, XD)

/

And a bonus add-on by pauladeroma:

_It turns out that Rachel's shirt really looks nice on Santana's floor._


	27. Chapter 27

Random Pezberry Thought of the Day #261:

This is an excerpt from a headcanon (otherwise known as  _overwhelming_ _Pezberry feels_ -  _OPF_ ) between me and thedeadflag.

**purrpickle**

It honestly surprises Santana how willing Rachel is to withhold things or not talk to her if she's decided she can figure things out on her own, or that she's assumed Santana's already decided on something without her. She always expected Rachel to talk and talk and talk, right?

**thedeadflag**

Absolutely. Rachel's just so used to being left out and doing things on her own that it's second nature to settle on a course of action and/or to assume others have left her out or decided things without her.

Santana constantly has to keep reeling Rachel back in and making it clear that they're a team, and they do things together. She often has to use a lot of those skills that made her the best shoulder to cry on for her cheer squad. Which is what really opens Rachel's mind to more of who Santana is, having gotten glimpses in Glee, but never quite the full picture.

For as bull-headed and stubborn as they both can be, Rachel's far more the lone wolf go-it-alone individual effort queen, whereas Santana can sometimes branch out on her own but tends to be much more team-oriented, with her temper and mischievous side determining if she'll be able to tap into her detail-oriented conflict resolution skills or not in any given situation. So when Rachel just… either assumes Santana's gone a different direction, or decides that she can handle an issue on her own, it takes Santana aback because she's just so used to back and forth communication, even if a lot of it's top-down in power structure. She expects Rachel to ramble on for hours about how to solve a certain problem with her when Rachel often just… does what she thinks is right and then rambles at length to her in justifying her actions and decisions and it can send her head spinning at times, but she adapts.

**purrpickle**

Yes yes yes. Because Santana always saw Rachel from the clingy, aching to be part of the group angle, assuming that's just how she is. It blows her mind the first time something happens, Rachel rambling her ear off passionately about why she forged ahead, justifying it, continuing to talk and talk when Santana only sits there, staring at her.  _Finally_ , Rachel trails off, honestly concerned Santana hasn't said anything or agreed with her, not even telling her to calm down or stop talking.

"You… Told your fathers I couldn't make it to their party?"

"Yes." Rachel frowns, "I told you, I went ahead and offered your condolences because you had your Cheerios thing that day, and I know how tired you get. And it's an 'adult' party, where you couldn't get away with sneaking some alcohol, and I know how boring that would be for you. Don't worry, I made you sound appropriately conciliatory."

Santana closes her eyes, a hand going up to the bridge of her nose. "You only brought it up  _once_ , Rache. And I told you I'd see if I could schedule with Becky."

"Yes, but… You never got back to me…"

"The party's still a week away! I still had  _time_ to get back to you!"

"But the party service needs to know beforehand to be able to prepare…"

"Did you  _tell_ me time was running out?"

(It's just like Rachel to, thinking she was saving herself heartbreak, make more for herself. Fortunately, I was thinking this is another "turning point" for Rachel and Santana. Santana could have easily thrown a temper tantrum or acted bitterly, but my headcanon for this is that she arranges to have the time off to go to the party still, and tells both Rachel and her fathers that she  _will_ be there - no randomly showing up to "surprise" Rachel because she knows the stress and bad feelings Rachel would have moping up to the night and no, she really doesn't want to hurt her. Besides, she'd rather attend  _with_ her, not  _join_ her.)

**thedeadflag**

Absolutely! She'd bite back her anger, swallow her frustration, and trudge through it, making it explicitly clear that she'd attend with Rachel. She wants… no, needs… any partnership between them to be a team effort, and if Rachel's going to go ahead and make decisions for the both of them, then she'll do what's necessary to show Rachel a better way. With… as much as she loathes it… as much patience as she can muster. Even when sometimes it might make her go to the yelling place afterward. She was patient when learning all about Lord Tubbington and all of Brittany's intricacies and quirks; she can find it in herself to manage the same with Rachel, even if it might take a few more kisses and a bottle or two extra of tequila a year to get it done.

**purrpickle**

(And at least in this case, the smiles and kisses and slow dances she gets with Rachel at the party help eventually make it all worth it. :})

* * *

#262:

This was headcanoned with thedeadflag immediately after the last RPTOTD.

**purrpickle**

What are some things Rachel gets surprised about Santana?

**thedeadflag**

Rachel knows herself to be a clingy drunk, and she accepts that truth about herself, but in all honestly, she's shocked at the extent that Santana seeks her out, physically. Often wonders if people refuse to call Santana clingy due purely to her intimidating reputation. After a single glee meeting where Santana initiated holding her hand, stroking her arm, linking ankles, resting Rachel's head on her shoulder, and four total kisses to her head, on top of Santana leaning up against her… she's just entirely bewildered that she apparently missed the boat on this, since no one else is shocked. She had thought Santana's physical affectionate side was a Brittany thing, so she's tickled pink that Santana's absolutely a touchy-feely type. Loves being surprised by Santana in the halls, feeling their hands link before she even sees or hears Santana.

Rachel's also surprised at Santana's memory, at least when she chooses to display it. It takes a few weeks, but they're relaxing at Rachel's after school one day when Rachel makes a remark about how frustrated she is with Schue's laziness and lack of preparation for Nationals. Santana… casually as anything, eyes fixated on the episode of America's Next Top Model that they're idly watching… references one of the plans of action Rachel had brought up in a heat of the moment forty minute long rant two weeks ago where she'd been talking so fast that even she had trouble keeping track of what she'd said or not in the moment. And there's Santana, bringing up one of the finer details of the plan she'd mentioned, all while eating a handful of popcorn and splitting her focus between her and the screen.

Rachel's so used to no one keeping up or remembering anything she's said unless she's speaking at maybe a sixty words a minute pace. And Santana had, in the past, vocally maligned her ranting and rambling, which she'd taken as Santana considering it just noise, but apparently not. As it turns out, Santana pays far closer attention to everything than she thought, often making it look like she's not caring or not paying attention.

Maybe Santana's love for ransacking people's things should have clued her into Santana's detail-oriented trait, or how Santana stays up late researching pop culture on wikipedia for more snark material, but still, it's a total surprise. A nice one, even, especially when Santana just… randomly shows sometimes how much attention she pays to Rachel and shows how much she cares through it. Rachel rarely needs to repeat herself, even if sometimes she gets the urge to do so for emphasis-related purposes.

**purrpickle**

(…I love you. This is amazing. Perfect. This perfectly encapsulates Santana - and Pezberry!Santana - and I'm crying.)

**thedeadflag**

pezberry make it all too easy :3

**purrpickle**

I just, ugh, how can Rachel  _not_ fall for the amazing girl Santana is, especially when Santana shows her who she is? And how can Santana  _not_ fall for Rachel when she sees who she truly is, too?

(Tumblr tags: ALL THE PEZBERRY FEELS, FOREVER)

* * *

#263:

One of the first headcanoning flows that kickstarted everything with thedeadflag. :D

**purrpickle**

I actually have a new prompt that I'm kicking around, that reminds me a LOT of one of your Encores ([Pezberry Encores](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3485081/chapters/7654727)).

**thedeadflag**

:O which one?

**purrpickle**

This one: "You're my best friend who's just waking up from a concussion, I played a trick on you and said we were married and you have amnesia… but you just rolled with it and now I don't know what to do" AU

Only it would be Rachel tricking Santana.

**thedeadflag**

XD That's perfect!

And I could actually totally see Rachel doing that

After all, she is no stranger to pranks, especially ones she thinks would be harmless but of course turn out much more dramatic than necessary due to her ramping up the stakes

or, at least, that's the sort of thing I'd imagine her doing

**purrpickle**

And especially after maybe Santana's done something to her that she wants to get back for.

And definitely.

**thedeadflag**

absolutely, Rachel is at times powered by the engine of spite and petty payback

**purrpickle**

Like, she was taking advantage of this moment to have some (harmless) fun, seeing it as a valid way to get back at Santana… only for it to spiral out of control, like you said.

**thedeadflag**

and because it's Santana, she loves her too much to do anything particularly mean, but she would like to get a good laugh in at Santana's expense, especially thinking it'd be harmless and that Santana wouldn't remember it, except…Santana just rolls with it

haha my thought process exactly on that

**purrpickle**

She's also spiteful enough that she's willing to take the licking of her wounds she expects to get from Santana vehemently denying that they'd be close at all.

**thedeadflag**

yep, because there's no way she goes into that thinking Santana would accept that idea. She expects denial and the opportunity to tease San

even if it stings a bit, she'd for sure put up with it for the chance to freak Santana out for a bit of (thought to be harmless) fun

**purrpickle**

Only, after a long blink and staring at her, Santana relaxes and smiles, inviting Rachel to come "keeps her company in this tiny hospital bed", patting the bed next to her with the most charming, warm smile on her face.

*charming, warm, and nervous smile

**thedeadflag**

Haha absolutely. And Rachel's inner Rachel berry is all:

*gif of an open mouthed rachel turning around in her chair*

Because she's (A) committed to the prank, but (B) her best friend, or at least a part of her, would be cool being married to her, meaning there's clearly attraction, and (c) she cannot be denied her payback but she also cannot take that out on this Santana and say it's all just a prank, not when this Santana is so…well, Rachel always did want to be a star, and Santana's looking at her like she hung them XD

**purrpickle**

HAH! *continues giggling* What even scene is that FROM?

Like, Santana's nervous. But if it's true - and DAMN does her head hurt enough for it to be true - her heart's racing at the chance to actually get to touch and hug and hold Rachel like she'd been steadily accepting she wanted to do.

**thedeadflag**

that was when Rachel and Santana went back to McKinley, iirc

aaaaaaaaaaa i love this

**purrpickle**

That's when I thought it might have been from, going from Rachel's hair. XD

And, right. I can see Rachel swallowing and finally deciding, okay, she'll go along with this - at least until Santana falls back asleep where she can "reset" everything when she wakes up again and act like it never happened.

**thedeadflag**

Yep. That, of course, seems like a perfectly reasonable internal compromise….except maybe (A) Santana doesn't "reset", or maybe she does and Rachel can't help but wonder all sorts of "what ifs" about Santana and her.

Or maybe it takes Santana a while to recover her memories completely, but she can't exactly lose her recent memories, either. Ones where she thought they were married. And then she feels the sharp emotional sting of realizing they never were and thinking it was just some long-game prank

**purrpickle**

Or… Santana "resets"… Only to come out and say, hey, I remember what you did and I totally figured out you were playing with me when I woke up again, so are we gonna talk about this or what?

Right. Like the second time she wakes up, she's a little clearer in the head, but still remembers what Rachel said.

**thedeadflag**

yep, and Rachel's prank is just totally foiled because Rachel played along with it, and maybe Santana really did have those underlying feelings, but now there was a possibility that Rachel wasn't such an impossible unrequited love

so hells yes she's going to bring that up

**purrpickle**

It all becomes a muddled mess.

Like confabulation!

My most favorite underused coma trope!

Or, I guess, head trauma trope.

In psychiatry, confabulation (verb: confabulate) is a disturbance of memory, defined as the production of fabricated, distorted, or misinterpreted memories about oneself or the world, without the conscious intention to deceive.

I've used it only once because it hurts my heart.

**thedeadflag**

there's so much potential for both fluff and angst with that one

**purrpickle**

Exactly. I can imagine it kind of being like being plucked from a universe and shoved into another where no one else remembers what you do.

I think… If anything, my goal for this would be an emotionally bare Rachel standing in front of an equally emotionally bare Santana.

Honestly, it seems like such a Rachel Berry way to stumble into a relationship.

**thedeadflag**

tbh I'm always for people stumbling into relationships. It's such an endearing way to go about things IMO and provides a lot of room for hijinks, heightened emotions, fluff, and sometimes angst depending. Lots of variety in it, while being consistently entertaining. And yeah, it's definitely one of the big ways I could see that happening for her

**purrpickle**

God. I can't agree more. I love stories that explore things all just coming together perfectly to stumble two characters together. :D Also, after everything's settled, Santana can't help but joke that Rachel married them even before they kissed.

(Tumblr tags: gah still love this idea and prompt, :D)

* * *

#264:

The rest of the glee club was outside of the tent, less than a foot away in their own tents and around the fire. Santana knew this. Rachel knew this. But, mouths opening under each other, bodies arching and seeking each other's out, they didn't care.

Rachel's arms wrapped around Santana's sides, her legs opening, almost humping against Santana's waist. "San…" she groaned, kissing along the other girl's cheeks, "San."

"Shh," Santana couldn't contain Rachel's gasps, hands scraping up and down Rachel's back as the smaller girl undulated on her, the fabric of their sleeping bags bunching and sliding under their legs. Moving her lips to cover Rachel's again, she sucked her tongue into her mouth, sliding her hands to palm Rachel's ass so she could rock the girl lower, harder into her.

Jerking her tongue back, Rachel nipped her lower lip, drawing a growl from deep within Santana's chest. "I need you," she hissed, dragging her hands up to dig her fingernails into Santana's shoulder blades, anchoring herself to hunch her hips and abs, rolling and pushing into Santana's stomach above her pajama shorts. "All day long - the lake, behind that tree, you and _ohh-mmm_."

Laughing breathlessly, Santana shoved her hands under Rachel's tank top, pushing it up and over her head, finally abandoning it for Rachel to finish taking off as two perfect breasts glowed lighter in the shadows of the tent's interior. " _Fuck_ , baby," she groaned, immediately closing a hard nipple into her mouth, pulling Rachel's heated stomach into her chest and neck; as she did so, Rachel's fingers raked through her hair and along her ears, the smaller girl's body practically folding around and over her.

Rachel's thighs tightened around Santana's upper legs, shifting down to sit more firmly into her. "O-on," she whispered, "I mean,  _off_. You. Clothes,  _off_." Laughing as Santana's breath played along her neck and lower, the girl's hands shoving themselves into her pajama pants, she groaned, throat vibrating as Santana suddenly flopped back, letting gravity take over to keep Rachel within range of her lips, now draped over her.

Using the opportunity to nip and suck at Rachel's neck, Santana moved her hands both up and down, one cupping Rachel's ass, her other moving in to cover and squeeze her naked breast. She grinned; they might have been on a glee camping trip arranged by Mr. Schue in some last ditch effort to unite the teens in preparation for winning Nationals, but that that wasn't important now.

Rachel squeaked as Santana nibbled at her neck, the noise turning into a deep, real moan as her hand tweaked her nipple, body sagging down onto Santana's.

Yup, Santana smirked into Rachel's neck, other hand moving to somewhere  _quite_ warm, as long as they kept quiet  _enough_ ,  _this_ was all that was important.

(Tumblr tags: maybe it's a cop out stopping this here, but it's where it's been stopped for years, never got farther than this to my chagrin, still, a nice little piece for my rptotds hmm?, ;D, (...i think this is only my second more sexual rptotd?), (honestly i just couldn't stare at this for any longer, and knew i just needed to let it go XD))

* * *

#265:

Original post by merrymusings on tumblr:

"Just because I let you go doesn't mean I wanted to."

/

Tags by 14andtaller-than-elise3auman:

#imagine santana saying this #a year or so after breaking up with rachel #because she knew it was best for rachel #for rachels career #because she felt like she would be dragging rachel down #imagine santanas voice cracking as she says it#tears coming to her eyes #looking down right before starting the sentence #then looking rachel in the eyes by the time she finished the sentence #imagine #maybe ill write it one day #rachel berry #santana lopez #pezberry

/

Tags by me:

#just rip out my heart and stomp on it why don't you #and then just imagine rachel livid #so angry #almost shaking with loss and pain and hurt #'how DARE you decide my own future for me' #she snaps #'you just decide without talking to me that that's what i needed #maybe it would have been best #but you had NO RIGHT to just leave me and LIE about why you pushed me away #you might have thought you were being noble santana lopez #but you were really pushing me away because it was YOU who couldn't even try past your own ego' #rachel's voice breaks and she jerks away before santana can reach out and touch her with a whispered 'rachel…' #'what we had was real santana #or at least i thought it was #and it was YOU who threw it away #and now #and now you can't just come back into my life and tell me you didn't want it in the first place #you threw us away santana #and i can't see us ever being ANYTHING again'

/

Salvage wrap-up by foxchaos:

But we know that isn't the end. Endings are never that easy with them. And Rachel trembles and bites her lip and Santana swallows thickly, both waiting for the other to leave, neither wanting to be the one to make it real, again. They stand there, staring, panting, and finally Rachel, voice cracking, "I trusted you."

And Santana, voice just as watery. "I know…"

A beat…

"You need to earn it back. ME back."

"I /will/."

* * *

#266:

Slowly but surely beset by very frequent, very disturbing sex dreams about Rachel the longer she lived in the loft, as well as a sneaking suspicion that she was gracing Rachel with more exasperated but fond expressions rather than solely exasperated, Santana, in a fit of "straight girl attraction" fear, made sure to jump at and agree to every date or invitation of a drink she got from any lesbian or known bisexual that she was at the very least attracted to.

(Tumblr tags: insert the ANGST, especially that of rachel watching santana agree to every date..., while also leaving her more and more behind, the crux of which coming when santana blows off a very important, (at least to rachel), hang out date, alone together in the loft or not, with a more aware than santana'd like kurt ready to tell santana how she's doing EVERYTHING wrong)

* * *

#267:

When Santana woke up the morning of their first year dating anniversary to the smell of Rachel cooking her  _actual real live_  (dead) bacon, grimacing all the while but doing it anyway for her, Santana almost proposed on the spot.

/

A bonus add-on from pauladeroma:

_On their second dating anniversary, Santana may or may not have bought a beautiful princess cut ring._

* * *

#268:

*referencing V V Brown's music video for Shark in the Water*

Quinn closed Rachel's laptop. " _Stop_ watching that music video."

"Hey!" Rachel looked up with betrayed eyes, the only thing stopping her from opening her computer and restarting the video being Quinn's palm on the top.

Quinn's eyebrow rose. "Is it because she reminds you of Santana?"

Red glowed on Rachel's face, and she looked away, hands tightening in her lap instead of answering.

Sighing, Quinn moved to the side, taking a seat on Rachel's bed. "Hey." She placed her hand onto Rachel's knee, Rachel acknowledging her but still not looking at her, "You can't keep doing this to yourself."

"But I'm not doing  _anything_!" Rachel burst out, her eyes already wet, "I'm not even watching  _her_!"

"No, you're only watching someone that  _reminds_ you of her. That one step away really doesn't absolve you of anything.  _How_  is that really any less pathetic, Rachel?"

Instead of answering directly, "She has that same dress," Rachel mumbled.

" _Rachel_."

"I  _know_ , okay?" Rachel burst out, "I know! It doesn't make any sense!"

Quinn didn't answer, letting Rachel stew in her response. Finally, exhaling, watching her friend wilt in front of her laptop, Quinn tightened her grip on her knee. "Why are you doing this?"

Rachel looked away.

" _Rachel_."

"Because I made the biggest mistake of my life!" Rachel snapped, "My  _life_. I cheated on her. I  _deserve_ to be punished."

"By watching a music video from her point of view."

Rachel inhaled, voice catching. "I know it's not rational." When Quinn didn't answer, in agreement nor denial, she looked up, chin trembling, hands worrying in front of herself. "I do, okay? I just…" Her face crumpled. "I just need to  _remind_  myself… Why she… That I deserve this because she… She won't ever forgive me."

Letting Rachel's knee go, Quinn sighed. "God, I can't believe I'm saying this, but…" She shook her head. "Look, this is Santana. She's cheated in the past. Maybe she'll… If you never do it again - and you wouldn't, would you?" Quinn looked at Rachel pointedly, continuing on when Rachel opened her mouth, then closed it and shook her head, "Right. If you didn't do it again, and,  _god forbid_ , somehow got Santana to agree to couple's counseling or something… She'll let you apologize."

Sniffling, her cheeks tightening as more tears dripped down, Rachel looked down. Her voice was a broken whisper. "How can I when she blocked me and moved out so I couldn't talk to her?"

After a moment, "Yeah," Quinn supplied tiredly, nodding, "That would be an issue."

(Tumblr tags: i was rewatching old music videos and thinking about santana singing this song and yeah, music video provided for reference, (and god i love this song so am sharing it for that too anyway))

* * *

#269:

If anything, Santana would have expected to be the one to kiss Rachel first, if just to crack open and make her start seeing more than just her boy-crazy straight girl shell.

She'd definitely underestimated Rachel on that one.

* * *

#270:

Santana was aimlessly scrolling through Facebook, halfway planning to plaster Puck's wall with images of whales attacking sharks in the wake of his very public dumping by Lauren, when she noticed that Rachel's status now read Single. Cocking her head, mouse lingering over the comment section to leave a quip, the green dot next to Rachel's name in the corner of the screen caught her attention instead. Settling her chin into her hand, she clicked open the messenger.

_u a single berry now?_

It only took about a minute for Rachel to respond.

_Hello, Santana. As that status change indicates, yes, I am now unattached._

Huh. Santana had figured Rachel would have drugged and married the giant man-child before giving him up again. She tilted her head, formulating a response.

_i dont kno wat suddenly kicked in in that obsessive brain of urs makin u realize how useless the lump was but good on ya. uve always deserved better than puffy pyramid nipples_

Rachel didn't disappoint.

_I appreciate the sentiment, Santana, even if I disagree with the delivery. Thank you. It was, perhaps, a hard decision to come to, but I'm eager, if admittedly (hopefully!) temporarily morose, to see where my life takes me now._

Santana couldn't help but snort.

_oh please. ull find the perfect submissive to stand ur diva ways_

_…Are you suggesting I will easily find a new relationship?_

Santana rolled her eyes.

_did i say that berry? alls i said was ull find a poor sap to put up with u_

_Perhaps you didn't say that in so many words, true. But your tone gave the impression… Or at least I foolishly hoped to TAKE your tone to give the impression that I'll be able to move on immediately. Or at least find someone._

_Easily._

_F_ _ind someone easily._

Oh god. Santana groaned, rolling her eyes again. Even in  _text_  Rachel wouldn't shut up. And  _tone_? She was writing text! She  _had_  no tone! She scowled.

_berry. ur crazy hetero. its statistically PROBABLE ull find someone soon. i didnt specify cuz it was IMPLIED_

It took more time than Santana expected for Rachel to respond.

_Santana. Maybe now is not the "right" time to mention it, but I'm not, as you put it, "hetero"._

What?

_wat?_

_I'm not heterosexual._

Taking the time to actually sit up, pulling her laptop onto her lap, Santana glowered down at it.

_ur not straight_

_No, Santana. Though I'm not quite sure why I'm bothering to come clean to you, and am already beginning to wonder why I am going through with telling you this, due to our commonly strained relationship, no. I am not "straight". I'm bisexual. Pansexual, maybe. I'm still unsure, as I don't have the exposure needed to truly know._

Santana stared at the chat. She wanted to respond with another  _wat?_ , but knew that would be stupid.

Berry… Wasn't the straightest of 'Taylor Swift after college' straight?

Santana's hand itched to reach over and grab her phone. For some reason, she wanted to hear this from Rachel's voice, like maybe her ears could make sense of what her eyes couldn't.

When Santana didn't respond fast enough, apparently, the chat updated again.

_PLEASE don't disseminate this information, Santana. I'm appealing to the heart that must be beating in your chest. Even if I may have implied in the past that you are heartless, I believe we've gotten to know each other enough for me to acknowledge that isn't true._

And again.

_And as a member of the queer community yourself, if I may be so bold as to use that as an acceptable label for addressing you, as well as your own experience with being outed against your wishes, I would hope you would extend some courtesy to me._

"Holy fuck, Berry, calm your tits!" Santana hissed into the phone the second Rachel picked up, cutting off her, "San-?", "Give a girl time to find out something crazy  _before_ immediately freaking out on her!"

There was silence on the other side of the phone. Then, Rachel muttered, somewhat petulantly, "I wasn't freaking out."

Santana snorted. "Yes. You were. Totes why I had to call you afores your panicked words continued to assault my eyes." There was ringing silence, and Santana had to fight the urge to clack her fingernails against the back of her phone.

"Why did you call me, Santana?" Rachel asked, voice quiet. Santana imagined that if she concentrated hard enough, she'd hear a schism of stress in it, but honestly, she didn't care enough to try.

So she ignored the question, instead. "So why'd you come out to me, Twinkle Toes? Hmm? Did you think I'd throw you a pride parade complete with rainbow confetti and afternoon trip to Bi & Save's discount 2-4-1 department? 'Cuz I's gots to tell you, you have the wrong girl."

"I thought I already told you that I don't know why I bothered."

Santana snorted. "Yeah. Right. And the sky's green. Try again."

Rachel was quiet for a few seconds. Finally, her words low, slow, Santana unconsciously sat back as they hit her, one by one. "…Because maybe I thought you might have some shred of understanding of how it felt to suddenly realize that you are not what others - and yourself - have always thought you to be. And doubly so, that the realization you are not beholden to any of those people, nor yourself, either, anymore, is one that almost throws your whole life upside down. Change, as it turns out, especially self change, is scary."

Santana inhaled. "Berry - "

But Rachel was already ready, cutting her off. "Anyway, good night, Santana. I need to go. Thank you for calling me. You've been the only person concerned about my well being, and I appreciate it."

"Hey, wait just a moment, Berry - !"

But Rachel was already away, the click of a closed line echoing in Santana's ear. Pulling her phone back, staring at it, Santana's eyes traveled to the computer screen where, too, her chat was dead.

"Fucking hobbit," she grit through her teeth, trying to figure out if she should call her back or not, "What. The. Fuck."

(Tumblr tags: oh rachel, you completely threw santana for a loop, good for you, :D)


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